Peru, Nebraska - During Peru State College's Welcome Week, students teamed up with Heartland Kids Against Hunger to assemble meal packages for families in Hawaii affected by wildfires. Carrie Burnham, the Director of Student Activities and Programs, shared that around 200 students, including Top Cat Group Leaders and first-time freshmen, participated in the packaging process. Each student had a specific role, like filling bags with rice, soy, beans, and spices, which were then sealed and boxed up.
According to Matt Thielen, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, this project began five years ago in 2018 to show incoming students how the college supports local and distant communities. The project also aimed to instill servant leadership values in Peru State College students.
Madi Hammer, a student volunteer, expressed her passion for volunteering, and the lead volunteers made the experience enjoyable. Cayla Schuster also shared her experience, saying that she loved meeting new people while contributing to a good cause.
Nestled in the hills of historic southeast Nebraska, Peru State College offers a mix of innovative online and traditional classroom undergraduate and graduate programs, including online graduate degrees in education and organizational management.
Established in 1867 as Nebraska’s first college, Peru State has transformed over the past century and a half into a state-of-the-art institution offering diverse, multifaceted educational programs annually to nearly 2,000 students.