Indiana State University Newsroom

With 536 students pre-registered, Indiana State University's 38th annual Donaghy Day unleashed a sea of blue into the Terre Haute community.

Students could participate in service activities such as painting, gardening and placing purple ribbons to raise cancer awareness in the downtown area.

The university partnered with 54 sites in Terre Haute and Vigo County for the April 11 event, said Heather Miklozek, associate director of the Center for Community Engagement.

A couple of students decided to help clean out the Career Center closet - separating tattered from professional clothes.

"The closet was recently constructed, so we needed some help organizing the clothing items," said Jeff Hudnall, assistant director of career services. "The items were sorted by type and size so that they can be easily accessible to students."

Other students decided painting was their preferred way to give back.

"I've learned through college that it is important to give back to a university that has done so much for me," said Bart Stucker, a senior communication major from Brownstown.

First year students, staff, faculty and upper-class students participated. Even some potential Sycamores visiting campus decided to serve.

Darren Brewer, a freshman social studies education major from Shelbyville, was still undecided on what project to help out with before the event, but knew he would do some good wherever he helped.

"I have some free time, so I'm going to spend it helping out in some way," he said.

Before the sea of blue set out into the community, the Sycamore Service Challenge winners were announced. Katerina King, a senior intermedia 2-D and 3-D art major from Carmel, logged about 200 hours of service last year, she said.

"Volunteering has always been a big passion of mine," said King, the senior Sycamore Service Challenge recipient.

The junior Sycamore Service Challenge winner was Jennifer Lim, a psychology major from Indianapolis, while Cheyanne Dawson, an art major from Bismarck, Ill., was the sophomore winner and the freshman recipient was Zachary Pygman, a physics major from Mooresville.

Normally, Spring Donaghy Day hosts 400 to 450 participants. With Indiana State's No. 1 placement in the 2013 Washington Monthly College Guide, President Dan Bradley emphasized the importance of student participation in the event.

"If it wasn't such an important day, it wouldn't be such beautiful weather," Bradley quipped.

Named after Fred Donaghy, Donaghy Day was initiated in 1976 as a day to beautify Indiana State's campus and the surrounding community.

"Donaghy Day supports Indiana State's strategic plan and experiential learning service requirements for class," Miklozek said.

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Events/Spring-Week/Spring-week-2014/Donaghy-Day-2014/i-Pw4pxnS/0/3X/DSC_6916-3X.jpg - Stephanie Baker, a freshman language studies major from Richmond, helps organize the clothes closet at the Indiana State University Career Center during the university's annual spring Donaghy Day of community service on April 11, 2014. (ISU/Nicole Marder)

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Events/Spring-Week/Spring-week-2014/Donaghy-Day-2014/i-kbCt2wB/0/3X/DSC_6949-3X.jpg - Students plant flowers on the Indiana State University campus during the university's annual spring Donaghy Day of community service on April 11, 2014. (ISU/Nicole Marder)

Contact: Heather Miklozek, associate director, Center for Community Engagement, Indiana State University, 812-237-8976 or heather.miklozek@indstate.edu

Writer: Dustyn Fatheree, media relations assistant, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3773 or dfatheree@sycamores.indstate.edu