SOCORRO, N.M. – What’s the big deal about “The Big Event”? More than 100 students and staff members from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech) are expected to provide more than 500 hours on Saturday, April 9, volunteering in their community. The inaugural community service event, dubbed “The Big Event,” will provide a venue for students and staff to pair with civic organizations in Socorro and Magdalena in community service projects, such as cleaning up trash and painting.

According to Michael Voegerl, director of Student Affairs and International Programs coordinator, the New Mexico Tech-sponsored day is part of a national collegiate event.

“It’s literally just a day of service to the communities that support us,” he said. “Our goal here is to do 500 hours of service in one day, which is a bit of a Herculean effort for a school this small. But, we’re going to give it a go.”

Voegerl’s staff kicked off a “guerrilla marketing” effort in early March, plastering the campus with fliers teasing “The Big Event'' with the slogan “Do Science, Do Engineering, Do Good.” Their advertising strategy is aimed at piquing the interest of at least 100 students and staff members to step away from their studies, laundry, and usual activities and volunteer five hours of service time on Saturday, April 9. 

Civic organizations and veteran groups will partner with New Mexico Tech students and staff and with community members at various regional locations, including local food pantries, rodeo grounds, wildlife refuges, and other venues. Outfitted with gloves, hats, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes, volunteers are expected to pick up trash along trails, paint, tidy up storage areas, clean up fencerows, and beautify community locations just in time for spring activities and events.

Voegerl said the event incorporates service, social, fun, and environmental activism as well as fostering good community relations. Volunteers will be treated to box lunches at noontime and rewarded with T-shirts and a dinner and dance with live music from local bands in the evening at the New Mexico Tech Golf Pavilion. 

If all goes well, Voegerl said, the event will be repeated and expanded next year.

“It’s our first time doing it, so we’re going to learn some lessons,” he said.