"Service" was the buzzword in April as alumni took to their local communities to volunteer during Global Month of Service (GMOS). GMOS enlists Harvard Clubs, Shared Interest Groups (SIGs), and Alumni Contacts (alumni representatives in geographical regions without a Club) to mobilize their members and friends to volunteer in their own backyards. This year, 77 service events took place, hosted by 35 Clubs, 3 SIGs, and 1 Alumni Contact. From volunteering at food banks, to building houses for Habitat for Humanity, to participating in college awareness panels, there were many different ways for alumni to serve their communities this April.
Alumni volunteers, like Christy Lorgen AB '92, embody and promote the spirit of GMOS. Christy volunteered this year with the Harvard Club of Norway at the Oslo International School, talking to students about what a liberal arts education in the U.S. entails. "We have always enjoyed this opportunity to speak with Norwegian and international students about ... what they can be thinking about as they consider their options for college," she shares. "Although they often ask us questions about Harvard, the event looks more broadly at the concept of a liberal arts education, campus life, extracurricular possibilities, [and] friendships. The event is always popular, and we look forward to participating for years to come."
Global Month of Service has been held every April since 2009, engaging alumni both domestically and internationally in service projects in their communities.