The holiday season is a time for giving, and no one takes that more seriously than Gladys Swindler.
Swindler is an assistant professor in the department of informatics and her MIS 101 class, Introduction to Computer Information Systems, will be donating food items to the Fort Hays State University Tiger Food Pantry in Forsyth Library.
Sophomore Morgan Belveal, sophomore Rachel Carvalho, graduate student Jeff Kaufman and graduate student Jackie Zhang organized the food donated by the MIS 101 class. The donated items will be transported to the pantry on Friday. Photo by McKenzie Wiles/Leader
“We are all part of the Tiger family and families help each other out. If there are students who are struggling or their family is struggling, I’m glad that the food pantry is there to take some pressure off to get food to feed your children or themselves,” Swindler said.
Everyone is required to take the MIS 101 class that goes over the basics of Microsoft Office. Most take it their freshman year.
“I think since I teach predominantly freshman students, it kind of gives them a sense of belonging to the Tiger family,” Swindler said.
Students receive extra credit for donating. Two points per can, Swindler explained, but the total cannot exceed 20 points.
Swindler has 350 students in her 10 MIS 101 classes. If each student brings the maximum amount of cans allowed, the total donation could reach 700.
“It gives you a good feeling to give, the students are really getting into it even though they are dragging cans across campus,” Swindler said.
The cans are stacked in two rooms in McCartney Hall. They will be taken to the pantry tomorrow morning.
“Those students out there that are using this service perhaps at some point in time they will be in a better situation and they will give back,” Swindler said.
Professor Swindler and Jeff Kaufman. Photo by McKenzie Wiles/Leader
Swindler has done various service projects in the past, including collecting over a ton of dog food for the local humane society, making and printing Christmas and Valentines cards for every resident in every nursing home in Ellis and the surrounding counties and other food donation projects.
“When I have the time to do it I always try and do a project like this. You can’t learn everything from the book. We have to learn to be part of a bigger community,” Swindler said.
The Fort Hays Tiger Food Pantry was set up by the Global Leadership Project as part of their continuous efforts to stop hunger and spread awareness. The pantry was opened on Oct. 15 and is open to anyone in need.
Recent Comments