SMC provides many opportunities for students to give back to the community

SMC Service Initiatives

At the turn of the twentieth century, Dr. David English Camak, the founder of what is now Spartanburg Methodist College, envisioned a school that would help students escape the cycle of poverty. Through hard work and a good education, a student could not only improve his or her life but could also contribute to improving the surrounding community. Today, SMC students continue in Dr. Camak’s vision. In addition to their rigorous academic schedule, students are encouraged to participate in community service to enhance their education and improve the world around them.

Through annual service efforts and beyond, SMC students are able to assist numerous local community service agencies.

Local Service Agencies

Freshmen Day of Service
Entering freshmen are introduced to the needs of Spartanburg County on their first full day on campus. The freshmen, divided into small groups led by a faculty/staff member and two sophomores, are sent to schools, children’s shelters, animal shelters, assisted living facilities, churches, soup kitchens, etc. to assist with such tasks as cleaning, painting, cooking, socializing, landscaping and any other task the service organization may need.

Kappa Sigma Alpha
Kappa Sigma Alpha is the co-ed service fraternity at Spartanburg Methodist College. Under the direction of Mr. Pete Aylor and a dedicated student-led Board, KSA is able to perform hundreds of hours of community service in the Spartanburg area. From Adopt-a-Hwy to playing bingo at an assisted living facility; from playing with the animals at the animal shelter to collecting shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child; from assisting the Lion’s Club to serving their classmates on campus, members of KSA discover the joy of serving others.

Fall Break Mission Trip
Students are invited to participate in a mission trip over Fall Break. In 2007, students stayed in Spartanburg and assisted with the Christmas in Action Fall Rebuilding Day, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, 2nd Presbyterian Soup Kitchen, and more!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Challenge
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, students at SMC gather to make vegetable soup at the homes of faculty/staff. Once the soup is made it is frozen for the local soup kitchen. Each group of students then compete to see which group can bring in the most servings of non-perishable food items.

Relay for Life
SMC students join students from the other colleges in Spartanburg for a College Relay for Life to raise money and awareness for cancer research. The 2008 Relay for Life will be held at USC Upstate on April 11-12th.

CSI: College Town Service Initiative
CSI is a project of the College Town consortium, a collaboration of the institutions of higher education in Spartanburg County – Converse College, Sherman College, Spartanburg Methodist College, Spartanburg Community College, the University of South Carolina Upstate and Wofford College. CSI is held each spring and allows students to participate in groups of varying sizes to provide much-needed services to a variety of Spartanburg service agencies. Agencies such as The Haven, Habitat for Humanity, the Charles Lea Center, Miracle Life Mission, the Bethlehem Center and the Salvation Army Thrift Store are just a few of the many which students have assisted during the CSI event.

CSI 2008 is scheduled for Saturday, February 23rd!