Serving the Community: UIW Hosts 20th Annual Meet the Mission

The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) aims to educate men and women who will become concerned and enlightened citizens within the global community. With its five cores values of education, truth, faith, innovation and service guiding the ongoing efforts, the University continues to embody and reflect the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God.

On Friday, Sept. 19, UIW's 20th annual Meet the Mission, sponsored by Mission and Ministry, took place both on and beyond the Broadway campus. Meet the Mission is an annual event that invites "students and employees to engage with the greater San Antonio community with service" (uiw.edu). This yearly event was founded in 2008 by Professor Emeritus Harold Rodinsky who retired from UIW in 2015. Meet the Mission continues the legacy of Dr. Rodinsky who passed away in 2019.Since its beginning, the event has grown to see over 200 members of UIW community deploy to over 20 Community Partner sites performing service projects on a single day.

"We will never become poor by giving of ourselves, in fact, the opposite happens, we become rich," expressed Bishop Trevor Alexander, Protestant Chaplain and member of Mission and Ministry.

Students engaged in a variety of service activities on the Broadway campus, including cleaning and organizing The Village at Incarnate Word and tending to the UIW Community Garden so that community members may harvest produce as needed. By the end of the day, campus spaces were cleaner and more organized for residents, and campus grounds flourished with freshly planted flora.

"Our group of students worked hard preparing the BSH Community Garden for fall planting," noted Dr. Hearther Frazier, associate professor of Nutrition. "The garden is now ready for us to plant fall crops, which anyone in our community can harvest and enjoy in the coming months."

The day was a demonstration of the University's commitment to helping others. Unified as One Word, students, faculty and community members created a more organized and vibrant campus where all are welcomed, valued and supported.

"This was the 20th anniversary of Meet the Mission," shared Sr. Walter Maher, CCVI, vice president for Mission and Ministry."I want to express profound gratitude to the Meet the Mission team: Dr. Betsy Leverett, Dr. Rachell Booth, our preeminent organizers ensuring the day is one of friendship, building relationships among and between faculty and students. Thank you also to our transport team, Dr. Sree Ande and Dr. Okan and faculty, who moved participants safely to and from locations, and finally, to faculty and students who came with open hearts and generosity to serve God's people. As students reflected on their experience, they shared how good it was to meet others, to build friendships and to be engaged in a transformative experience they plan to continue."