Ole Miss Students Give Back in a Big Way During Annual Event
From landscaping to repairs, student volunteers make a lasting impact on the community
OXFORD, Miss – Hundreds of University of Mississippi students are set to spread out across Oxford and Lafayette County on April 5 to cut weeds, rake leaves, and paint fences all with a goal of serving the community and building bonds with its residents.
The Big Event offers students an opportunity to work on a variety of service projects that benefit the Lafayette-Oxford-University community. In previous years, students have worked at schools, churches, nonprofits, community centers and other sites.
"Year after year, our main goal is for students to interact with members of the LOU community and help them in the best way we know how: acts of service," said Meredith Whited, the group's co-executive director. "We hope to surpass last year's volunteer registrant numbers, and that all students return as volunteers next year
An Ole Miss student helps clear away a rotten deck during the 2024 Big Event. Submitted photo
"Last year, we had roughly 900 volunteers and project leaders, and we hope to get over 1,000 this year."
The organizers have restructured the operation this year, adding 14 head project leaders to oversee the team's 113 project leaders as well as volunteers at each location, said Whited, a secondary English education major from Marion, Arkansas.
"These students will lead a project on the day of, oversee several project leaders and project sites, and ensure that everything is ready to go," she said. "These students have worked with the projects and leadership team all year, and we are excited to see the positive impact they will have on the day of the event."
The Big Event is part of a nationwide movement that began in 1982 at Texas A&M University. Ole Miss adopted the idea in 2011 and has continued it each year except 2020.
Recently, UM competed with Oklahoma University, Virginia Tech and Texas A&M to see which school could attract the most volunteer registrations between March 4 and 6. Organizers say although Ole Miss came in third, they are happy with the volunteer push they got during the "Battle of the Big Events."
Despite this year's event changes, the Ole Miss Big Event's mission remains unchanged: to give back to the community that graciously hosts the university's students.
Whether it is laying bales of hay or breaking out paintbrushes to refine a railing on someone's front porch, student volunteers roll up their sleeves, put on gloves and get to work.
The volunteer efforts have been particularly valuable for the North Mississippi Exchange Family Center, said Denise Strub, the center's executive director.
Students often form connections with others across campus while helping serve the community during the annual Big Event. The 2025 Big Event is set for April 5. Submitted photo
"I am always excited to have the volunteers of the Big Event at our Prevention Center," Strub said. "Their dedication and enthusiasm for helping is unmatched.
"Last year, they did some heavy work, including assembling a swing set, painting, and digging out an old, ugly holly bush. These young men and women were here to work, and they definitely worked hard."
While the overall goal is to serve the community, Whited advises first-time volunteers to take the opportunity to connect with their peers at the project sites.
"A major aspect of the Big Event is the fellowship that happens on the day of," she said. "Volunteers come from all over campus, giving students the chance to engage in meaningful conversations and service."
Volunteers can sign up by signing into their ForUM account and going to the Big Event home page. Click the form titled "Big Event 2025: Volunteer Registration Form."
Project site applications are open, and anyone interested in hosting volunteers is encouraged to apply. The application can be found on the group's Instagram and Facebook pages at @olemissbigevent.
Top: Students paint a porch railing during the 2024 Big Event. The annual event, set for April 5, allows Ole Miss students to give back to the LOU community during the state's largest day of service. Submitted photo