As with many things, Southwestern University puts its own small-school twist on the biggest day of the year: The BIG Event! Southwestern will excitedly celebrate its BIG Event this Saturday, April 2!

The BIG Event — if you don't already know — is a national day of service that originated at Texas A&M in 1982. Now, college campuses across the nation partake in this important event.

The format of each BIG Event may differ from campus to campus but the message is the same:

Give thanks and give back to the college community that each student has called home for 4 years!

For us at Southwestern, that community would be the small town of Georgetown, Texas! Georgetown: population just over 47,000; roughly 28% minority; and 18,000+ people over the age of 60. Georgetown is home to numerous service-oriented projects for underprivileged and at-risk youth such as The Locker and The Nest, in addition to the retirement community Sun City, and two animal shelters Williamson County and Georgetown — one of which boasts being a no-kill. Many of these become beloved work sites for TBE volunteers — which last year was around 400 students, professors, and parents.

Needless to say, opportunities abound in this area of central Texas. Here is where The BIG Event steps up to the plate; TBE seeks to condense these opportunities for the ease of the campus and the community.

In speaking with The BIG Event's president, Madison McKee '17, spoke of the support the Georgetown community graces the Southwestern students with and how this is:

"A tangible form of our appreciation for their support."

This is McKee's third year with TBE, and is clear of her ambition to have The BIG Event become an integral part of the Southwestern campus life that "continues for many more years."

Other members of the planning committee for TBE, Sustain. spoke of how The BIG Event has become a focus for their activities on campus. All of the Fall semester and a majority of the Spring, students in Sustain plan for TBE, finding work sites for service, planning a free breakfast and free lunch, complimentary t-shirt for memorabilia; none of which are tasks without obstacles. However, none of which deters these students. Carolina Treviño '18, prides TBE at SU for bridging the gap between "our small community" and the Georgetown community, thus "fostering a good relationship and building connections." And small community is just what Southwestern's TBE emphasizes!

Unlike many other BIG Events at other larger schools, Southwestern's TBE is literally built off of the community it is giving back to. No corporations, or large companies, donate or support TBE. All of the contributions and support come from the small businesses and chains within Georgetown, a major perk of being a small community within a small community.

The morning begins at 8:30 am for volunteers and 6:00 am for staff, breakfast and announcements will occur, morning shift, lunch at 12:00 pm, music and announcements, followed by the second shift heading out to G-town.

The 2016 BIG Event will be the 5th anniversary of TBE at Southwestern University, and has hopes of being the biggest and best yet for the sake of the Georgetown community!