VCU students help collect sweatshirts and more for local families

By Sian Wilkerson

With the new school year less than a month old, Virginia Commonwealth University students are already making their mark off campus as well as on. Through the College of Humanities and Sciences, they helped organize a donation drive that collected more than 150 sweatshirts from the VCU community - plus additional clothing and school supplies - for local families in need.

The items will be distributed to residents of Southwood Apartments, a South Richmond apartment complex. Three college units - the dean's office, the Department of English and the Department of African American Studies - also participated in the effort.

"Community engagement takes students outside of the four walls of the classroom and empowers them to connect classroom learning with the real world," said Anita Nadal, faculty fellow for community engagement in the College of Humanities and Sciences, who organized the event.

Nadal, an assistant professor of Spanish in the English department, added that such efforts help students emerge as "dynamic citizens by fostering a sense of purpose."

Later in the semester, the college will hold its annual coat drive, which also benefits Southwood residents.