Lakewood, N.J.-When the Georgian Court University Lions set a goal, they achieve it!  For the 2015-16 academic year, the Lions set their ambitious sights on a different set of goals….community service hours. As in 10,000 community service hours OR 167 days of community service!

Beginning the spring semester less than half way from their ultimate goal, the GCU athletic brethren involved themselves in numerous projects and many wonderful community engagement opportunities, such as their weekly trek to local elementary school, Oak Street, for "Reading with the Lions." The student-athletes interact and work with second-graders on everything from reading to writing to arithmetic.

Outgoing Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President Casey O'Connor stated, "The ability to help serve others is one of the most important qualities and characteristics to have here at Georgian Court University. As student athletes, we help those who are less fortunate than us because it is in our innate nature to serve others and make a difference in the community and people's lives. Community service helps us find ourselves and builds character to help make the world a better place. Individually, we can do a little at a time, but together we can do much more and help make a huge difference. Service is a Mercy Core value that will continue to be present throughout my life and I will continue to help others in time of need. Georgian Court and athletics have shown me that service is a very important trait to uphold and to continue show the characteristics of integrity, service, compassion, respect, and justice. 

Ben Salsby, GCU's SAAC President for the upcoming 2016-17 school year added, "Giving back is a great thing for all student athletes here at Georgian Court as it gives everybody a sense of the other end of the spectrum. It goes from where we have been to where we may well be in years from now, and helping out in the local schools and retirement homes has been so much fun for everybody involved. Life brings all type of difficulties and one day you may be needing help from one, two or even two hundred people, and I believe that if you help others, help with arrive at your feet when you most need it and you will be thankful." 
 
Georgian Court University was founded on the Mercy core values and one of those values is service. The student-athletes understand and embrace the value of service. It is something each Lion takes pride in being a part of and when the 10,000 hour challenge was presented, they attacked it with the same determination as they would on the field of play.

"I could not be more proud of our student-athletes," shared Director of Athletics & Recreation Laura Liesman. "They have risen to the occasion time and again, while continuously proving to be a stellar representation of our fine University and its Mercy core values." 

CLICK HERE for a complete list of our community service and participation!