First-year students give back in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
First-year students gave back by working to improve the Westminster, Md., community through a variety of service activities Jan. 20 to honor Martin Luther King. Jr. This opportunity was an optional component of the freshman, “My Design” course.

McDaniel freshmen Brooke Boyland, left, Bopha Bessire, center, and Sydney Barrett help paint the multipurpose room at Union Street United Methodist Church on Monday, Jan. 20.
First-year students gave back by working to improve the Westminster, Md., community through a variety of service activities Jan. 20 to honor Martin Luther King. Jr.
Students were able to step outside their comfort zones and help others on by painting a multipurpose room at Union Street United Methodist Church, cleaning the Cold Weather Shelter, and preparing and serving meals at the Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen. Others assisted with bundling diapers for CarrollBaby, Carroll County’s only diaper bank, and stuffing and sorting plastic eggs for the City of Westminster.
This opportunity was an optional component of the “My Design” course that all freshmen at McDaniel College are required to take that provides instruction and experiences to help students understand their individual strengths, their goals, and the resources and people on McDaniel’s campus who can help them cultivate their potential. Students in the course develop and expand areas of interest related to the liberal arts, potential college majors, and future career paths.
“My Design” is offered during McDaniel’s Jan Term, a three-week session that allows students and faculty to explore new areas and expand their intellectual horizons with specially designed courses. In addition to a variety of courses held on campus, students can participate in study abroad and domestic study trips, as well as internships and independent study opportunities.

McDaniel students Sofia Mendez, Lilly Figueroa, Jessica Kam and Steve Pabon along with college staff members Valerie Westbrook, Erin Benevento and Mary Dietz cleaned the Cold Weather Shelter in Westminster on Monday.

McDaniel College junior Mikayla Braswell assists freshmen Kaeana Aguon and Cammie Beazer with sorting and stuffing plastic eggs for the City of Westminster on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

McDaniel College freshman Christopher Swayne paints a multipurpose room at Union Street United Methodist Church on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

McDaniel freshman Sofia Mendez cleans the bathroom at the Cold Weather Shelter in Westminster on Monday.

McDaniel College freshmen Frieda Anong, left, and Maya Williams helped bundle diapers for CarrollBaby on Monday, Jan. 20.

McDaniel College freshmen Abby Doff, left, and Alea Baily help paint a room at Union Street United Methodist Church on Monday.