The ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ kicked off its annual Employee Campaign on Tuesday, Sept. 20 with food, fun and fellowship for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ employees. The annual campaign provides an opportunity for employees to show support of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ students with gifts to scholarships and a variety of other programs. Giving back to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ allows employees to honor the charism and example of the University’s founders, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.
“As a longtime employee of the University, I have seen firsthand the impact our gifts have on students’ lives through the stories they share,” said Margaret Garcia, director of Communications and Brand Marketing and a team lead for the Employee Campaign. “As a parent of three proud ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ alumni, I am honored to support the opportunity for future generations to experience our rich history and excellent academic programs and I am proud to encourage my ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ colleagues to do the same.”
Below, ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Employee Campaign participants share why they give back during the annual initiative.
Title IX and HR Investigator
"I personally benefited from scholarships when I was an undergrad and when I was in graduate school. Being able to contribute to that in some small way and to give back to the students here is kind of repaying that. That graciousness helped me to afford my college education. Anytime I get a chance to pay that back, I'm always going to take that opportunity. "
Administrative Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff
"I personally give back because I think it's good to contribute to academic excellence and other opportunities, for our students, especially. I also want to help show the staff that I'm contributing so that I can be a positive influence on them. It's important to support our University and all of its efforts."
Associate Professor in the Dreeben School of Education
"I give back to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ because there are many different ways that I can serve the institution and the students who are here. In my role as a professor, I teach my students, I welcome them into my classroom, I prepare them to be future teachers. And in my role as an employee, I can also give back to the institution by donating and making a commitment to do that every year. I give to the scholarship fund specifically, because I do see that as a place of great need for our students. I know that we do a great job as a University in preparing students for the next step in their lives as a career, but we also prepare them to take the Incarnate Word Mission out into the community and to make their community better and stronger."
Associate Professor and Program Director of Communication Arts in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
"Giving back to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ through the Employee Campaign is personal. The only reason I get to experience the joy of being a professor is because people gave to me during my learning. So, the opportunity to pay that forward, not just in the classroom through instruction, but actually through opening up my wallet and giving what I can, is incredibly personal and feels like I get to be part of the circle of life."
