Before the formal opening of a new academic year – before even the first classroom lecture – Presbyterian College students gathered at First Presbyterian Church in Clinton to fight hunger.

The Aug. 18 event partnered members of PC’s “home church” – including several college alumni – with incoming members of the Class of 2028 and dozens of their older schoolmates to package meals for hungry people around the world through the international non-profit organization, Rise Against Hunger.

Nurturing hearts of service is at the core of the PC experience, said Jack and Jane Presseau Associate Chaplain, the Rev. Dr. British Hyrams, and events like Rise Against Hunger verify the college’s commitment to its motto, “While We Live, We Serve.”

“Working closely with Gen Z students as I do, authenticity is one of the things they’re looking for,” she said. “So, as they come to PC knowing our motto, they’re looking for us to show that we are living it. Events like Rise Against Hunger show that we are walking the walk and talking the talk.”

“Walking the walk” is precisely what Student Volunteer Services directors Ethan Hall of Chapin and Lyle Jones of Mauldin have done throughout their college volunteer experience. Participating in a significant volunteer event at the beginning of a new fall semester sets the right tone for the year and first-year students, said Hall.

“It sets the expectation that we are a college that serves our community,” he said. “This event is one of our big events where we’ve partnered with First Presbyterian Church of Clinton, and, first thing, new students are on campus and in our community. We’re volunteering now with them, so when we get to Martin Luther King Service Day and Special Olympics in the spring, they’ve experienced that outreach and have it in their mind that we serve the community. We go out, and we volunteer.”

Jones, whose older sister, Dessa, was also an SVS director during her time at PC, said volunteering wasn’t necessarily foremost on his mind when he first came to campus. Still, it quickly became a vital part of his college career.

“My sister got me involved at first, and I quickly realized what it means to me to serve the community and get involved in SVS,” he said. “I love it. I can’t imagine not making community service an important part of my life going forward.”

For two of the newest members of PC’s community – freshmen men’s soccer players Morgan Dance of Worcester, England, and Daniel Daulhaug of Elverum, Norway – volunteering for Rise Against Hunger was also a team-building exercise with the entire team present. Neither were expecting service to be so crucial at their new school – but are glad of it, nonetheless.

“It’s a good surprise,” said Daulhaug. “It’s good to do something nice for your community and people who are in need or have less than us. It’s really nice.”

Dance agreed.

“I think it’s a good thing that we can give back to the local community around here and have a positive impact on local people,” he said. “It’s a good feeling to give back to people and help them out.”

New students Anastasia McAteer of McConnells and Queniyah White of Cross Hill fully knew that serving others was vitally important to the PC community they joined.

“When I toured PC, they made a very big deal about service and made it very well known,” McAteer said. “So, I already knew coming in that this would be a big part of my college life. By volunteering today, I feel like we’re living into the motto of ‘While We Live, We Serve.’ It’s important. I think it’s a good thing as a person and citizen of South Carolina to help other people when you can.”

White grew up in Laurens County and, as a graduate of Clinton High School, understood PC’s history of volunteerism and service. For her, PC is a familiar place close to home that offers a tight-knit community that serves together.

“I believe this service event will teach us how to work together and get along,” she said. “Even if we aren’t aware of our differences, we can come together and work stuff out. We can all work together to serve.”