Three first-year students at Oglethorpe University wasted no time making a real difference in Atlanta. Jacqueline Antunez, Adir Ali Yerima, and Zig Nganga organized a campus-wide food drive that brought together volunteers and delivered essential support to refugee families facing food insecurity.
Their project through the Serve for Good program shows how quickly new students can step up on a small campus. What started as an idea turned into hands-on help for more than 25 families.
Small Campus Sparks Big Student Action
Oglethorpe University sits in Atlanta and keeps its community close-knit. This setting lets students take initiative fast. The three first-years joined the Serve for Good initiative run by the Intercultural Center.
Serve for Good gives students mini-grants to lead projects that help the local area. They met with Director Marisol Zacarias and Community Engagement Coordinator Yuliana Aceves to shape their plans and bring them to life.
The students saw a need and acted. Within months of arriving on campus, they designed a project focused on food support. Their quick start highlights the leadership chances available at smaller schools like Oglethorpe.
Oglethorpe encourages students to create impact right away. The university draws a diverse group with nearly 60 percent students of color. Many come ready to connect academics with real-world service.
Partnership Targets Refugee Family Needs
The students chose to work with New American Pathways, an Atlanta nonprofit that supports refugees as they build new lives in Georgia. The organization offers services from initial arrival through citizenship, helping people integrate and thrive in their communities.
Refugee families often face food insecurity during resettlement. The students wanted to ease that burden. Their food drive collected non-perishable items specifically for these families.
New American Pathways helps hundreds of refugees each year with legal aid, social programs, and practical support. Partnering with them gave the project clear direction and real impact.
The choice reflected the students’ desire to address immediate needs while building longer-term community ties. Atlanta serves as a hub for refugee resettlement in the Southeast, making local efforts especially valuable.
From Kick-Off Event to Meal Packing Success
The project began with a kick-off event on campus. A representative from New American Pathways spoke to Oglethorpe students about the challenges refugee families face. This session inspired participation.
Students then collected donations for two weeks. The campus responded with generosity. After the drive ended, 18 volunteers gathered for a packing event.
They assembled more than 300 items into meal kits. Volunteers also added handwritten notes of encouragement for the recipient families. These personal touches added warmth to the practical help.
The completed meal kits were delivered directly to New American Pathways offices in Atlanta. The effort reached more than 25 families and showed the power of coordinated student action.
Zig Nganga, a chemistry major, shared how meaningful the peer support felt. The turnout proved students cared about both the project and the broader community.
Young Leaders Gain Skills and Perspective
Jacqueline Antunez reflected on the experience. She noted that months of planning and collaboration taught her valuable lessons about turning ideas into results.
This hands-on work built leadership abilities that will serve the students well beyond their first year. They learned project management, teamwork, and the importance of community partnerships.
The Serve for Good program is now in its second year. It continues to develop civic engagement skills while strengthening connections between Oglethorpe and Metro Atlanta organizations.
All Serve for Good participants, including these three students, will present their projects at the Liberal Arts and Science Symposium on April 17. This event will let them share details and inspire others.
Oglethorpe’s emphasis on leadership creates an environment where first-years feel empowered to lead. The university’s Core curriculum and student organizations reinforce the idea that education includes active community involvement.
Lasting Benefits for Campus and City
Projects like this food drive do more than provide immediate aid. They foster empathy and understanding among students while addressing real needs in Atlanta.
The collaboration with New American Pathways opens doors for future partnerships. It also shows refugee families that local students care about their success and well-being.
On a small campus, individual actions create visible ripples. Students see the direct results of their efforts, which motivates continued involvement throughout their college years.
This story stands out because it happened so early in the students’ time at Oglethorpe. It proves that making a difference does not require waiting until upperclassman status or graduation.
The food drive united participants around a shared goal of giving back. It strengthened campus spirit while extending help beyond university walls into Atlanta neighborhoods.
Oglethorpe students continue to find ways to blend learning with service. Programs like Serve for Good make these opportunities accessible and supported from day one.
These first-year leaders set a strong example for their peers. Their success shows what determined students can achieve when given the right tools and guidance.
The meal kits and notes delivered more than food. They carried messages of hope and belonging to families building new lives in Georgia.
As the students move forward in their studies, they carry the experience of creating positive change. Their project reminds everyone that leadership starts with noticing a need and choosing to act.
What these three first-years accomplished in their initial months at Oglethorpe offers inspiration for students everywhere. Small steps, when taken with purpose, can lead to meaningful community impact.
