POTSDAM, NY - SUNY Potsdam students have made making a difference more than just a nice idea – they’ve put their actions where their words are with more than 1,490 hours – an astounding 62 days – of volunteer service.

Approximately 526 students volunteered during this year’s Make a Difference Week, organized by the Office of Experiential Education. This was an increase of 16 percent in student volunteers and a 70 percent increase in volunteer hours from last year.

“Participation during Make A Difference Week is important because it’s a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors, or in our case, the SUNY Potsdam Community helping the Potsdam community,” said Jack Durham, a counselor in the Office of Experiential Education. “Make A Difference Week provides our students with an opportunity to make a positive impact within the Potsdam community by performing invaluable volunteer projects that improve their community and help neighbors that are truly in need.”

Students volunteered to perform different roles such as guides, pumpkin lighters and a variety of characters, as part of the “Mystical Forest,” a Halloween-themed outdoor theatre production put on by Ekrub Players Inc. in Burke.

The Sociology Club and the Campus Rescue Squad completed a highly successful weeklong necessities drive for Renewal House. They raised approximately $200 in cash and 249 items ranging from toiletries to a cuddly stuffed teddy bear.

“This is one of the most generous donations we’ve had thus far,” said Renewal House representative Tessa Fields. “With this large donation, we were able to completely restock our safe house for quite some time.”

The All Greek Council executed a successful weeklong school supply drive for the Lawrence Avenue Elementary School of Potsdam that garnered more than 500 items.

The Pre-Health Club held a Bone Marrow Registry Drive and had more than 170 students, staff and faculty screened for the registry. There were so many interested donors for the drive, the representative ran out of swabs to perform the test. This overwhelming turnout for the registry drive has encouraged the representatives to continue working with SUNY Potsdam in the future.

The Department of Athletics continued to fulfill their volunteer duties by hosting the annual Fall Leaf Raking Project throughout the village of Potsdam. This year, the athletes were able to assist the community by raking the leaves of 20 different houses.

The ladies of Alpha Delta Kappa collected 20 formal dresses for Melissa’s Closet; an organization with the mission of ensuring that all young ladies throughout the Northern New York have dresses to attend their high school proms and other formal events.

The First-Year Success Seminar class taught by Toby White, director of the experiential education, and the SUNY Potsdam lacrosse team coached by Rick Berkman got involved with Make A Difference Week by participating in the Habitat for Humanity program in Massena.

Other clubs and organizations that contributed to Make A Difference Week include the English and Communication Student Organization and the Culinary Club raising $118 cash and collecting 54 children’s books for the Potsdam Neighborhood Center; Emerging Leaders promoting scholarship awareness and giving out a $500 scholarship; the Student Government Association painted campus bike racks; the Biology Club and Potsdam International Organization cleaned SUNY Potsdam’s Marshall Park; and the Black Student Alliance and others offered their assistance to the Big Brothers Big Sisters school-based program at Lawrence Avenue Elementary by participating in their annual carnival for the children.

Volunteering for Make A Difference Week allows students to meet new people and forge important networking contacts throughout the North Country.

“It’s these types of contacts that will help open the doorways of success during the student’s pursuit of an education and career while attending SUNY Potsdam,” said Durham. “On the same token, volunteering allows students to learn and develop critical thinking skills and personal development skills, which are in high demand in today’s work environment. In addition, many students have limited work experience upon entering college, so volunteering gives students a chance to gain invaluable work experience and explore possible career options.”

Created by “USA WEEKEND” Magazine, Make A Difference Day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. To maximize the impact, SUNY Potsdam expands the event on campus to encompass a week.

For more information about the Office of Experiential Education opportunities, call 315-267-2803 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .