Wake Forest students have an obvious passion for service and community engagement, a vital part of the student experience.

In light of the annual Hit the Bricks on Thursday, Sept. 28, the Editorial Board of the Old Gold & Black would like to stress the importance of and impact that philanthropic events, such as this one, Wake  N’ Shake and Project Pumpkin, not only have on the foundations for which they are raising money, but also on the sense of community they build on campus.

Wake Forest’s motto, Pro Humanitate, places a special responsibility on the Wake Forest community to  serve and engage our with community. We want to reiterate the importance of service on this campus and the impact that Wake Forest has in Winston-Salem and the U.S.

It is the duty of Wake Forest students to use their time here as a commitment to follow out the motto of Pro Humanitate.

Wake Forest has a plethora of service and philanthropy events each year ranging philanthropic events hosted by Greek organizations to events that are unique to Wake Forest like Project Pumpkin and Wake ‘N’ Shake — all of which have helped to form us as engaged Wake Forest students.

Within the last month, communities both domestic and abroad have felt incredible devastation as a result of  natural disasters. Hurricanes Irma, Harvey and Maria as well as two major earthquakes in Mexico have caused unparalleled destruction for citizens in the areas’ worst hit. As a community, Wake Forest has actively participated in campaigns to aid and help those in need. These are just some of the ventures the Wake Forest community take.

Many programs involving justice come from the Pro Humanitate Institute (PHI) which is led by executive director Marianne Magjuka, who serves as the Assistant Dean of Students. The PHI mission statement strives to transform the university motto to “an explicit mission connected to clear practices with meaningful social justice outcomes.”

DESK, Hit the Bricks, Project Pumpkin, Wake ’N’ Shake, Campus Kitchen, BRANCHES Social Justice Retreat and Wake Alternative Break are some of the programs or organizations that PHI oversees. These social justice or philanthropic projects are all staples of the Wake Forest experience.

Avenues for engagement are all around, so there’s a variety of opportunities for students to get involved with causes about which they’re passionate. Because there are so many different opportunities for service, its necessary that many students get involved to make an impact. The collective effort in changing our community has and will continue to shape both our campus and Winston-Salem.

So we urge all students to remember their role on campus and the influence students have by getting involved by forming stronger community ties with their fellow Deacs  and their fellow Winston-Salemnites.