Beckley, W.Va., junior Kristen Sparks washes cars as part of Sweatequity Day to raise funds for the Emergency Loan Fund. Photo by Kate Johnson.

Sweatequity Day has 250 volunteers

Marshall may feel a little more like home to the approximately 250 students who spent part of last Saturday painting, scraping gum off the plaza bricks and washing windows among other tasks at Marshall's first Sweatequity Day.

At 10 a.m. students gathered for donuts and coffee before breaking up into work groups to improve the campus.

In opening remarks, Marshall President Dr. Dan Angel explained the reason behind Sweatequity Day.

"The purpose is making freshmen really feel like they own part of the campus," Angel said. "It's great to be president of Marshall and I'm proud to see so many of you here."

Sweatequity is a term that goes back to the 1960s when Secretary of Housing George Romney noted that though people may not have the money to buy their own homes, they could work to improve their property. This work, or sweatequity, would help people develop a sense of ownership of their home. Greek and other student organizations, sports teams and freshmen made up the crowd of students who came out to work.

Thundering Herd cheerleaders pulled weeds and dug up rocks outside the Memorial Student Center.

"The university has always been real good to us and this is an opportunity to give back," Madison junior and cheerleader Seth Summers said as he dug up rocks. "Everybody here is taking pride. We're cheerleaders. We're all about this stuff."

Other students came because their professors made class announcements about the day. Oak Hill freshman Amber Hooper said she came out to get to know more about the campus and to meet people.

The new member group from Alpha Xi Delta spent their hours scraping gum off the bricks that pave the Student Center Plaza. St. Albans freshman and Alpha Xi Delta member Elizabeth Aluise, said her group wanted to "come out to make a better Marshall."

Marshall baseball team member and Logan junior Rustyn Lee was pleased with his work at the stadium where he and his teammates swept the parking lot and wiped down seats in the stadium.

"We made Marshall a better place," Lee said.

While the baseball team was cleaning up the stadium, the softball team was washing windows at Old Main. Huntington sophomore Karri Britt said the softball team attended Sweatequity Day because it was a good project.

A small group signed up to help Dr. Angel paint a voltage box next to Old Main while others scraped and painted the one-room school house next to Holderby Hall.

Mullens freshman Angel Christian said she had fun with her new Sigma Sigma Sigma sisters washing the windows of Twin Towers Cafeteria. Huntington freshman Jessica Long, also a member of Tri Sig said, "I think it's a really good idea. It helps people get involved and meet people."

Students also had the opportunity to sign up to help with a car wash. Members of Alpha Chi Omega and Alpha Sigma Phi joined Student Government Association President Bill Walker to raise money for the Emergency Loan Fund, a fund that helps students pay off emergency debts by issuing short-term loans.

Beckley junior and Alpha Chi Omega member Kristen Sparks said she washed cars because it is a good cause.

"I've known people that have used the fund so I think it's great that since students are doing it, the money is going back to the students," Sparks said.

Barboursville senior and Alpha Chi Omega member Kristin Smith said that the car wash raised $171.10 to be donated to the fund.

Interim Dean of Students and Sweatequity Day coordinator Steve Hensley said the day was great. "I'm pleased," he said.

Dr. Angel said he would like to make Sweatequity Day an annual event. "It's social," he said, "but it has a purpose," he said.

That purpose is to make freshmen feel at home.