Graduate students from Virginia Tech National Capital Region and George Mason University team up on local environmental community service project to support The Big Event 2008

The Big Event, Virginia Tech’s largest community service project, is held each spring in Blacksburg. Students come together on this day to say thanks to surrounding communities in the area for being a gracious host to the university for nine months out of the year and for their continuous support. For the first time this year, the National Capital Region Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) put a local twist on The Big Event. Virginia Tech graduate students teamed up with graduate students from nearby George Mason University to work on a community service project to benefit the northern Virginia community.

“We really like the idea of The Big Event and wanted to do something locally that would make us feel that we are part of all the activity that takes place in Blacksburg on that day,” said Vasanth Ganesan, chair of the GSA National Capital Region. “The plan grew when students from George Mason University expressed interest in joining us.”

The group decided on an environmental project – to clean up a stretch of Four Mile Run. Along with a few Virginia Tech alums, the graduate students removed about 10 bags of trash and debris from the stream and stream bank, from the fire station on North Washington Street to the East Falls Church Metro Station in Arlington. They also removed a significant amount of invasive English Ivy from Crossman Park.

“This was a great way for students from both universities to serve the community, get to know each other, and have some fun at the same time,” said Ganesan. “Virginia Tech students and alumni were also able to record the hours they worked for Virginia Tech’s community service initiative, VT-Engage.”

Ganesan added, “I think everyone who participated agreed that it was a big success and that we would like to make The Big Event an annual occurrence in the National Capital Region, just as it is in Blacksburg.”

The students received a thank you from the City of Falls Church on its web page.

Posted April 22, 2008