While most Panthers were sleeping or out of town, an estimated 500 students, faculty and staff worked in the Prairie View community early Saturday morning on Sept. 19, as a part of PAW (Panthers at Work), a biannual event that unifies students and the community through different projects.
This year marks the fifth anniversary and was themed “Beautification.”
The event was hosted by student volunteer coordinator Alisha Lowe and the Office of Student Affairs and Institutional Relations.
Mayor Frank Jackson rallied all the student volunteers before heading off to the individual sites and PALS came together for the PV Shuffle.
Before leaving, Student Government Association Vice President Trent Johnson turned “Panthers at Work” into “Panthers at Worship” with a prayer and song, “This Little Light of Mine.”
Volunteers were allowed to register individually or with one of their organizations on campus.
Some of the Greek organizations helped beautifying the campus by redecorating their individual trees and picking up trash in areas on the hill.
Senior biology major Terry Mason, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., said, “My organization does this every year and throughout the year to keep the university’s social life interesting to visitors and new students. It’s a source of recruitment and school spirit. This is an important part of PV’s history overall.”
Many volunteers picked up trash, planted trees, flowers and bushes, landscaped, laid down mulch and handed out water. Some even went as far as Old-290 helping out.
“My sorority sister and I helped prepare an area that is going to have roses planted there so we pulled the weeds, cleared the leaves and laid down fresh mulch,” said Gifty Gyebi, a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
The event was nothing new to Don Byars, associate provost for Enrollment Management. As a PAW veteran, Byars came back from his site with a positive attitude.
“I feel accomplished, as if I’ve set an example for the community and students as well. Hopefully this will give students a more serious outlook on keeping the campus and the city of Prairie View clean, neat and beautiful,” said Byars.
“Working with PAW is very inspirational and allows me to meet new people and bond with my fellow Panthers,” said junior architecture major Aaron Ogletree.