The Kent State University Alumni Association (KSUAA) hosted its 9th annual Alumni Day of Service Saturday with over 400 volunteers at 27 locations worldwide.

Lisa Mascellino, KSUAA assistant director of Alumni Relations and Outreach, said the event’s goal is for alumni to come together and volunteer side by side while giving back to their communities.

“Collectively, as alumni of Kent State University, they’re giving back across the country and internationally,” Mascellino said. “It’s kind of like one big statement that our alumni are giving back to their communities in one day.”

Mascellino said the experience alumni get at Day of Service is different from what they would experience participating at another alumni event.

“It’s a different relationship, and we have a lot of people come back year after year,” Mascellino said.

Two volunteer sites were located in Kent: Habitat for Humanity Restore and Be the Match.

“This is probably the Restore’s favorite day because it’s crazy and everyone is running around, but we get a lot done, and we create a lot of relationships (with) alumni,” said Dominique Burrell, a volunteer coordinator for Habitat for Humanity.

Brittney O’Donnell, a 2013 Kent State graduate and volunteer at Habitat for Humanity Restore, said the variety of locations helps with encouraging alumni to volunteer.

“It allows people from Kent to get together to help places around, and they have the other places as well,” O’Donnell said. “There are a ton of places you can go, so even if you don’t live around here, you can still volunteer.”

O’Donnell said she plans on volunteering again next year.

Mascellino said he Day of Service also reached out internationally for the first time with two volunteer sites in Jordan in the Middle East.

Next year’s Day of Service will be held April 28, 2018.

Miranda Kiner is the alumni reporter, contact her at [email protected].