#MavsVolunteer #MavsVolunteer Giving Back to Our Community

The mission of Medaille University is to educate and develop empowered individuals for academic achievement, career success and civic engagement, thereby contributing to a healthy, diverse democracy. As part of living out that mission, each academic department, program and student organization at Medaille teaches students to positively contribute to society, address issues of public concern and work to make a difference in our surrounding communities. Here are just a few examples in action from this past year.

Vet Tech Club Raises Funds for SPCA Serving Erie County

In May 2022, veterinary technology students and faculty gathered at the SPCA Serving Erie County to present a $1,000 donation to benefit the nonprofit, which assists nearly 12,000 animals each year. Students from the Medaille Vet Tech Club led multiple fundraisers during the spring semester to be able to donate the money to support local animals in need. In addition to the spring semester’s fundraising efforts, the Vet Tech Club runs a campus-wide food drive each fall to donate food and funds to the Animal Food Bank of WNY.

“We take an oath as licensed veterinary technicians to dedicate ourselves to aiding animals and society,” says club advisor and Veterinary Technology Co-Program Director Trish Carr, LVT, FFCP, ’14. “This commitment we live by as medical professionals involves several aspects of civic engagement, which is why it is imperative to get our students involved in that mission as early as possible.”

Medaille Partners With Jordan Poyer to Hold an Addiction Recovery Forum & Raffle to Benefit the Buffalo Community Medaille’s clinical mental health counseling program collaborated with Buffalo Bills Safety and All-Pro Jordan Poyer to host a wellness and addiction recovery forum at Medaille’s campus in May 2022, titled “It’s OK to Ask for Help.” This free community event was intended to help counter the stigma surrounding mental health, and Poyer’s openness about his own journey and struggles with addiction served as an inspiration for others.

“I was super excited about the opportunity to share my story at Medaille,” says Poyer. “I hope it helped inspire those in attendance, and I am grateful to the Medaille community for giving me a chance to raise awareness about mental health and make an impact in the Buffalo community.”

In the wake of the mass shooting that took place at the Tops Market on Jefferson Avenue on May 14, Medaille and Poyer also collaborated to hold a raffle at the event to support an organization assisting the Buffalo community with food relief. Nearly $1,200 was raised that evening, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the African Heritage Food Co-op, an organization that was helping to deliver fresh produce and food to families who were left without access to a grocery store after the tragic events.

SAAC Volunteers at FeedMore WNY

During the spring 2022 semester, the Medaille Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) spent time volunteering at FeedMore WNY. These Mavericks helped out in the warehouse, putting together 20-pound boxes of food. The group ended up putting together 1,500 meals — over 2,000 pounds of food — for the local community.

Painting the Field Gold to Fight Pediatric Cancer

Last fall, Medaille men’s and women’s soccer teams partnered with the Medaille Student Government Association to raise money for children fighting cancer. The campaign titled “Paint the Field Gold” consisted of selling t-shirts, raffle tickets and bracelets at home soccer games. A total of $2,000 was raised for the PUNT Pediatric Cancer Collaborative, which supports local families fighting pediatric cancer.

Say Yes Medaille Supports Big Big Table Community Café

In April 2022, Say Yes Medaille donated $1,500 to Big Big Table, a nonprofit, pay-asyou-can café fighting food insecurity in the Buffalo community. The donation came after students from Medaille’s Say Yes to Education program led a campus-wide bottle and can drive for two months. In addition to the fundraising efforts, Medaille students and staff members spent time volunteering in the Big Big Table kitchen over the course of the spring 2022 semester.

Mavericks Support Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation

During Blood Cancer Awareness Month in September 2022, the women’s soccer team, in collaboration with the women’s lacrosse team, came together to raise awareness and donate over $2,000 to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. The teams sold bracelets, held a 50/50 raffle and accepted donations from attendees of the 1st Annual Tom Nicholas Memorial Game.

Life Sciences Club Volunteers With Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper

Students in Medaille’s Life Sciences Club, along with club advisor and Assistant Professor of Biology Bernadette Clabeaux, Ph.D, ’05, volunteered with Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper to help clean up Cazenovia Park in honor of Earth Day 2022. Each year, the Life Sciences Club participates in this annual clean-up event to help preserve the Buffalo Olmsted Parks.

Department of Education Holds Halloween Bake Sale &

Winter Clothing Drive

Education students from Medaille’s chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in education, held a Halloween Bake Sale in October 2022 to raise money for Imagination Library, a book gifting program that mails free books to children to promote literacy and education. Later in the fall, the Department of Education led the campus community in a Winter Clothing Drive for the Valley Community Center, a nonprofit serving residents in the Buffalo River Community.