Alumni, students and community members returned to Saint Xavier University on Saturday, March 21, for PAWS for Service Day, a campuswide event focused on giving back and reconnecting with the university community.
Held inside the Shannon Athletic and Convocation Center, the event brought together families, faculty, staff and local partners who spent the morning working side by side on service projects.
“PAWS for Service Day is about more than volunteering. It’s about coming together as a community to live out the Mercy mission in real, tangible ways,” said Dr. Imelda Macías, assistant vice president for Family and Community Engagement. “Each service station is rooted in the Sisters of Mercy’s Critical Concerns, so participants can support immigrant communities, promote dignity and justice and care for vulnerable populations while working together.”
More than 20 service stations were set up throughout the space, each connected to the mission of the Sisters of Mercy and their focus on issues such as immigration, nonviolence, racism, care for the earth and support for women. Participants assembled care packages, contributed to outreach efforts and took part in projects designed to help communities both locally and beyond.
Macías said the goal was to create an opportunity for people to reconnect while also doing something meaningful.
“We wanted to bring everyone into the same space, not just to catch up, but to work in solidarity and support others,” she said.
Although the event was coordinated by the Office of Family and Community Engagement, it reflected a broader effort across campus. Multiple departments, including Facilities, Public Safety, Athletics and Alumni Relations, played a role in making the day possible.
Community involvement extended beyond the university as well. More than 20 organizations participated, including SWADDLE, The Crisis Center for South Suburbia, The Ronald McDonald House of Oak Lawn and World Relief Chicagoland, along with several student-led groups.
Many participants said one of the most meaningful parts of the event was seeing the impact of their work right away.
“You’re not just talking about helping. You’re actually doing it in real time, and that’s powerful,” Macías said. “There’s also a deeper layer. Participants are engaging in service that connects to larger issues like justice, compassion and care for others.”
Students had the chance to take on leadership roles, connect with others and better understand how their efforts fit into a larger mission. Alumni, meanwhile, reconnected with familiar faces and spaces while sharing the experience with family members.
The event created a sense of continuity across generations, with longtime supporters and first-time participants working together toward a common goal.
“PAWS for Service is really a reflection of who we are as a Mercy institution,” Macías said. “It brings together compassion, action and solidarity in a way that feels accessible to everyone.”
By the end of the morning, the atmosphere felt less like a formal event and more like a reunion with a purpose, a reminder that the university’s mission continues long after graduation.
“It’s not just something we talk about,” Macías said. “It’s something we practice together.”