AFH University January 2024 Roundup
Developed in 2013, our AFH University program helps college athletes explore leadership, life skill development, advocacy, their role in the community, and how to discover their philanthropic passions.
As 2024 began, our student-athletes wasted no time getting back into service projects throughout their communities.
Athletes from Georgetown, Southern University and LSU engaged in community beautification projects, served on MLK Day, and more!
Georgetown
Keep Austin Beautiful
The Georgetown women’s rowing team visited Austin the first week of January and jumped right in to help with a beautification project.
They supported a Keep Austin Beautiful project and took kayaks out with the Austin Rowing Club, as well as engaged in picking up trash and other items along the waterfront. Despite visiting another state for training, they continued their dedication to service and community.
Martha’s Table
On January 15, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, student-athletes at Georgetown University were one of the many AFH University campuses who volunteered to honor the life and legacy of Dr.King.
Student-athletes collected pantry items for their on-campus food pantry and participated in a pop-up market on MLK Jr. Avenue hosted by Martha’s Table in collaboration with the Annual MLK Day of Service Parade in Downtown, D.C.
Southern University
The Walls Project
As a part of MLK Day 2024, Southern baseball and Southern soccer participated in a three-part community service project. This year’s project was focused on beautifying the Eden Park neighborhood. Service zones consisted of revitalizing a basketball court, painting houses and murals to cleaning up blight along the streets.
Southern baseball facilitated clean-up along the streets of the Gus Young Neighborhood while Southern soccer assisted with a beautification project at Eden Park by painting a mural on a vacant building.
On MLK Day, I got a chance to give back to the community. It is my duty as a Southern Jag and a student athlete to take opportunities to serve on such a monumental day. My teammates and I walked the streets of Baton Rouge by the MLK Center picking up trash. It always feels good giving back and I plan to continue helping every chance I get.
Qunicy Smith, Southern Baseball
Louisiana State University (LSU)
Girls On The Run
During MLK Day 2024, a group of LSU student-athletes and athletic administration members were able to build program bags designed to help young girls who are participating with Girls On The Run, a nonprofit organization that is designed to be a mentoring program and a running club that is training for a 5k.
I had the chance of facilitating our volunteers to pack running kits for elementary aged girls that are a part of the Girls On The Run program. As a female athlete, I believe that it is important to build the future generation so that they to can feel the same sense of achievement that I feel. Through this volunteer opportunity, I hope that the girls feel the care and love that their community has for them.
Shani’a Bellamy, LSU Track & Field
Empower 225: Dream Center
During MLK Day 2024, LSU student-athletes were also able to give back to the Baton Rouge area through a field day.
Volunteers facilitated a field day with Empower225: Dream Center, a program in the Baton Rouge area that aims to empower the youth in the area who are at risk of homelessness and dependency.
It was great being able to hang out with the kids and see them having fun and smiling. I enjoyed being able to speak with some of them and give some words of encouragement.
Morgan Smalls, LSU Track & Field
As we enter into another year of AFH University, we are excited to watch all of our campuses engage their communities through various service projects throughout the year. We are so proud of all of our student-athletes whose continued dedication to positively impacting their communities is changing the world!