Spring 2025 Big Event at KU serves 130 Lawrence job sites
LAWRENCE — The Big Event at KU spring event drew 966 University of Kansas student, faculty and staff volunteers April 5, serving 130 job sites around Lawrence to create an economic impact of $129,405 for the surrounding community.
Volunteers completed various jobs including yard work, painting and house cleaning at job sites, where 71% of the service requests came from individuals 65 and older and 42% had sought Big Event volunteers for at least four consecutive years.
Eighty-nine different KU organizations and departments as well as 32 Jayhawks not assigned to a group served at The Big Event.
“The Big Event has impacted my Jayhawk journey in a multitude of ways by allowing me to connect with the community, refine my leadership skills and make a lasting impact beyond our campus," said Abby Friedland, senior from Omaha, Nebraska, and executive director of The Big Event. "It’s much more than a day of service. It has allowed me to work with outstanding student leaders and staff members to create a meaningful experience.”
Service request feedback through an anonymous survey following the event was positive. Comments included, “This is a wonderful service. It links the community with KU and performs a great service." Other feedback: “I think this is a great opportunity for students to get involved in the Lawrence community. It helps create a bridge between KU and the larger Lawrence community in a meaningful way.”
The Big Event calculates the economic impact by multiplying the number of volunteers (966) by the number of hours served (four) by the average service hourly rate. According to the Independent Sector, the national value of a volunteer hour is $33.49.
Anyone within the Lawrence city limits can apply to host a job site for future service events.
The Big Event is led by a team of 13 student volunteers who work during the academic year to plan KU’s single largest day of community service each semester. This team is dedicated to connecting KU students, faculty and staff to residents and organizations around Lawrence.
The Big Event Executive Committee encourages all students, faculty and staff to register to volunteer for upcoming events Oct. 18 and April 18, 2026. Volunteers can sign up as a group to represent their area of interest or as an individual to be paired with others. All volunteers receive a T-shirt, free breakfast and swag from sponsors as supplies last.
To learn more about The Big Event, please reach out to Mikayla Leader at tbe@ku.edu. Learn more about volunteering at The Big Event website.
About The KU Memorial Unions
The KU Memorial Unions, a not-for-profit affiliate of the University of Kansas, operates the KU Bookstores, KU Dining, KU Event Services and KU Union Programs. Its major campus facilities include the Kansas Union, the Burge Union and the DeBruce Center. Proceeds resulting from Union services are reinvested into KU student initiatives.