All about community: Celebrating We Are Aggie Pride and our principles

by Dave Jones
February 22, 2013

UC Davis is all about community, especially Saturday (Feb. 23) and all next week, during two special observances:

• We Are Aggie Pride Week — Established last year, We Are Aggie Pride is a student-run group that raises money to provide emergency funding to UC Davis students in need. Donations are welcome any time, or at any of a number of special events, Feb. 23-28. The final day coincides with a new international event, Student Engagement and Philanthropy Day.

• Principles of Community Week — Feb. 25-March 1, celebrating UC Davis’ unofficial covenant among all members of the campus community to treat one another with civility, respect and mutual understanding “among the many parts of the whole,” and to celebrate our differences.

We Are Aggie Pride Week

The events are targeted at students, in keeping with We Are Aggie Pride’s motto: “Students Helping Students.” But the faculty and staff components of our community are also welcome to give. (All activities are free, with the exception of the basketball games, and take note: There’s food involved in events titled Doughnuts and Donations; Tiny Tacos, Mucho Impacto; and Cupcakes on the Quad!)

“Everyone needs help at some point or another during their college careers,” said Christine Kim, who joined several other students in founding We Are Aggie Pride last year. Kim, a senior and We Are Aggie Pride co-director, said the organization helps students get through financial emergencies and stay in school.

In its first year, 2011-12, We Are Aggie Pride raised $32,000 and gave more than $18,500 to students who applied for assistance. The organization doled out the money on the basis of need, to cover food, rent and other essential costs not covered by other programs, to give a temporary boost to those who are trying to make it on their own.

In 2012-13, the group has raised $26,000 to date, for a grand total of $58,000 in donations and sponsorships, including $24,000 from UC Davis West Village. Donations have come from the UC Davis community (including students, alumni, faculty and staff) and the greater community.

We Are Aggie Pride adviser Jane Eadie, director of programs for the Cal Aggie Alumni Association, said the effort is inspiring a new generation of philanthropists on campus.

“Public service is an important part of our campus culture,” she said. “And giving back to the university is one of our Aggie traditions. It’s part of what it means to be an Aggie.”

When it was launched, We Are Aggie Pride became the first student organization on the West Coast to grant emergency funding to other students. Now, as more student organizations around the world get involved in philanthropy, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education is sponsoring the first Student Engagement and Philanthropy Day. As of midweek, UC Davis was among nearly 90 institutions to have registered as a participant.

We Are Aggie Pride activities

Saturday, Feb. 23

• Basketball doubleheader — Men’s team vs. Northern Colorado, 1:30 p.m., and women’s team vs. Cal State Fullerton, 4 p.m., The Pavilion at the ARC.

Monday-Friday, Feb. 25-March 1

• Change Challenge — Promoting freshman giving in all three dining commons, all day.

Monday, Feb. 25

• Doughnuts and Donations — 1:30-6 p.m., lawn, Haring Hall.

Tuesday, Feb. 26

• Tiny Tacos, Mucho Impacto — Noon, Silo patio.

Wednesday, Feb. 27

• Get It, Got It, Give It Scavenger Hunt — Noon-1 p.m., Quad.

Thursday, Feb. 28

• Swipes for Students — At the bookstore, when you make a transaction with a credit or debit card, consider adding something extra for We Are Aggie Pride. All day.

• Cupcakes on the Quad — Noon-1 p.m. Featuring the Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh!

• Movie Night at Rock Hall — Space Jam, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Online donations.

Principles of Community Week

UC Davis adopted the Principles of Community in 1990 and has reaffirmed them four times, the last time in 2010 on the occasion of their 20th anniversary. Here is the schedule for Principles of Community Week:

Monday, Feb. 25

• Principles of Community — Workshop presented by P.E.A.C.E. (Peer Education And Community Empowerment) trainers. 4-5 p.m., Room E, Student Community Center.

• Faith and Tea — A discussion about faith and building community across religious differences. Sponsored by Middle East/South Asia Studies. 5-7 p.m., Room D, Student Community Center.

Tuesday, Feb. 26

• Freedom of Speech — Lecture and discussion with Vikram Amar, associate dean and professor, School of Law. 2-3:15 p.m., King Room, Memorial Union.

• Making Connections Across Difference — A dialogue about building meaningful relationships among diverse people. For staff only; for more informationor to RSVP, contact Vickie Gomez, vlgomez@ucdavis.edu. Noon-1 p.m.

• Theater of the Oppressed — Performance by Unity Clap Theater. 7-9 p.m., Room D, Student Community Center.

• Woman to Woman — A critical dialogue between female-identified members of the African Diaspora pertaining to their experience on a college campus. Food will be served. RSVPs required. For more information, contact, Jerrie Lowe, jelowe@ucdavis.edu. 6-8 p.m., multipurpose room, Student Community Center.

Wednesday, Feb. 27

• Intersections: Spirituality and Sexuality — A dialogue about those who have suffered sexual and religious oppression, presented by DeAngela Cooks, activist, educator and spoken word artist. 5-7 p.m., multipurpose room, Student Community Center.

• Know Your Song — Teaching students about the historical significance of the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” including history about the songwriter, James Weldon Johnson. For more information, contact Jerrie Lowe, jelowe@ucdavis.edu. 6-7 p.m., Student Recruitment and Retention Center (at the Student Community Center).

Thursday, Feb. 28

• Social Justice 101 — A workshop presented by the Multicultural Immersion Program interns. Noon-1 p.m., DeCarli Room, Memorial Union.

Friday, March 1

• Student Leadership and Service to Your Community — What opportunities are available for leading and serving your campus community? Come learn how you can work with students, administrators, faculty and staff to make an impact on your campus community. 1:30-2:30 p.m., P.E.A.C.E. Lounge, Cross Cultural Center (at the Student Community Center).

All week

• Structures, Signifiers and Society: People and Textiles — Stunning examples from the UC Davis Design Collection. These ethnographic and contemporary works showcase the significance of textiles as representations of ingenuity, identity and cultures around the world. Exhibition runs through March 18, Design Museum, 124 Cruess Hall. Hours: noon-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 2-4 p.m. Sunday. Read more.