It is not often that students from the Honors College, Athletics department, STEM program, USGA program, and service leadership council come together for weekend activities. However, on Saturday, November 5, three hundred and forty-five students from all over UAB’s campus gathered to strengthen the ties between Birmingham’s community and UAB through service.

The students were brought together by the university’s “Into the Streets” event, a city wide service day led by UAB students. The program promotes the desire of the University to create a co-curricular experience that prompts students to engage in the world around them.

Bringing together students to enact change, UAB’s “Into the Streets” event allowed students to, literally, walk through the streets of Birmingham and volunteer with community organizations. UAB met with neighborhood association presidents to discover and decide on the most impactful locations and projects. Local parks such as Red Mountain, Village Creek, and Moss Rock Preserves also partnered with UAB in the city wide clean up. All together the event included partnerships with thirteen local organizations. Students cleared the streets of trash and provided basic landscaping services in neighborhoods and local schools. Large contributors to the events organization, student leaders led the activities at each site and provided direction for services.

David Dada, event overseer, UAB alumni, and current coordinator of Leadership and Service at UAB, expressed his passion for seeing students learn and practically illustrate aspects of civic engagement. As UAB continues to grow, students are being made aware of the importance of building relationships with people within their community. Student service promotes the universities mission to grow education, health, economic prosperity, and the quality of life of the people in student’s communities; but it also instills passion within students to relate to their community. Dada says that while programs are cool; “relationships are what drive positive change”, and this event allowed practical time for this key action to develop.  Interacting with the people in the community not only communicates to the community that students want to impact Birmingham, but it also gives students responsibility and opportunity in their communities.

 UAB’s “Into the Streets” event supplemented student education through civic responsibility and showed that Birmingham is UAB’s city. All across campus, students are taking ownership of their city and their education.

Article by Melodi Ketura Lewis