EUGENE, Ore. – Bushnell University marked its 17th annual Embrace the Community Day last week, as hundreds of students, faculty, and staff stepped up to serve at more than 20 nonprofit and community sites across Eugene and Springfield. What began years ago as the vision of a Bushnell student has grown into a signature tradition that emphasizes the university’s deep commitment to service and community partnerships as central to its educational mission.
Event lead organizer Matt Geronimo ’20, M.A. ’22 emphasized the importance of the event:
“ETC Day is one of the most visible ways Bushnell lives out its mission in partnership with the Eugene-Springfield community. I love how the student experience at Bushnell University is not insulated to campus but finds opportunities to collaborate with partners across Eugene and Springfield. Once our students get rolling, they are an unstoppable force of work, and I’d love to have them encounter the good work of more humanitarian organizations in our city and possibly find a cause to support.”
In Eugene, volunteers engaged in projects that met both immediate and long-term needs. At the Greenhill Humane Society, students cared for animals and supported staff with upkeep, while at Everyone Village, a transitional housing community, they joined residents in improving shared spaces. Teams at the Eugene Mission assisted with facility improvements that help create a safe and respectful environment for guests.
Students also partnered with Love for Lane County, setting up for its annual Gala; with Looking Glass, where they power-washed and cleaned Station 7; and with Eugene Parks, where they worked on beautification projects at Hendricks Park and Alton Baker Park. Other groups assembled snack packs for Cornerstone Community Housing, landscaped the regional memorial MADD Garden at Alton Baker Park, and packed diapers for families in need at the Lane County Diaper Bank.
Additional efforts took place at organizations including Holt International, Oregon Community Programs, Bags of Love, Relief Nursery, Camp Harlow, and the Eugene Toolbox Project, where students supported services that directly benefit children and families. Volunteers also contributed to the preservation of the historic Sheldon McMurphey House and helped sustain natural spaces at Grassroots Garden and Nearby Nature.
In neighboring Springfield, Bushnell teams joined the Springfield Youth Farm, a FOOD for Lane County site, to harvest crops that provide fresh produce for community members in need. Students also worked with Youth for Christ Springfield, lending support to programs that encourage and mentor local youth.
Other groups partnered with organizations such as Westminster Presbyterian School and Sponsors Inc., extending care and resources to children, families, and individuals navigating challenging circumstances.
Coordinating dozens of projects and partnerships is no small task, but the result is a day that highlights Bushnell’s mission in action and provides students with transformative opportunities to serve their neighbors.
Embrace the Community Day has become a pillar of the fall semester, uniting Bushnell with the wider Eugene-Springfield community. As an expression of the university’s core value of service, the day shows how collective action strengthens local organizations while giving students meaningful opportunities to put their faith and values into practice in real-world settings.
To explore photos from this year’s Embrace the Community Day, visit our university photo album.