The annual Kindness Week is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 14 through Friday, Feb. 17 at Oakland University. Hosted by the Office for Student Involvement (OSI) and the Leadership and Volunteer Center (LVC), Kindness Week 2022 will be filled with giveaways, activities, service opportunities, and of course, kindness.

“It’s all about just being kind,” said Coordinator of Leadership and Service Programs Daryl Blackburn. “Our goal in the Office for Student Involvement and the Leadership and Volunteer Center is to really come up with ways that we can do just that. We’re going to be kind to our students, faculty, staff, and our students, faculty, staff are going to be kind to each other, and we’re going to be kind to the community all in one week. That’s our big goal here.”

Monday, Feb. 14

Kindness Week kicks off on Valentine’s Day with a table in the Oakland Center (OC) from noon to 2 p.m. At the table, representatives from the OSI and LVC will let students know about the week’s upcoming events and will hand out free stuff-your-own heart-shaped pillows.

Additionally, the tables will have punch cards available to keep track of event participation. Those who attend four events during the week will be entered to win a prize at the end of the week.

New to Kindness Week this year is Valentine’s Day Happy Hour. Happy Hour will take place in the Habitat from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and students can come hang out, enjoy some mocktails, listen to music from a DJ and participate in karaoke.

Tuesday, Feb. 15

Dog Days of Winter, a chance to pet some therapy dogs, will take place in the Habitat from noon to 3 p.m.

“Hopefully about five or six [of the therapy dogs will be there] the whole time for students to come in, stop by and pet the dogs, play with them … Therapy Dogs are stress relieving for most people, so that’s kind of our goal, come and be kind to yourself, have fun with the dogs, hang out,” Blackburn said.

While the therapy dogs are in the middle of the Habitat, there will also be a volunteer fair with tables set up around the perimeter of the Habitat. Nonprofits and other organizations such as Lighthouse of Oakland County and Dutton Farm will be in attendance, giving students the opportunity to give back to the community. 

Wednesday, Feb. 16

The annual OU Day of Kindness takes place in Ballroom A of the OC from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eight or nine tables with different service projects — such as making dog toys out of t-shirts and crafting cards for a senior citizens home — will be set up, and at the end of the day, all the projects will be donated to different nonprofit organizations.

Students, faculty and staff can drop in anytime they want and participate for however long they want and the goal of the event is to also give back to the community.

Thursday, Feb. 17

Cocoa, Cookies and Kindness will start at 10 a.m. in the lobby of Kresge Library. The OSI and LVC will be handing out hot cocoa, cookies and giveaways until they run out of items as a way to be kind to the OU community.

Friday, Feb. 18

To cap off the week, the OSI and LVC will host a social media campaign. The OU community can share posts of random acts of kindness using the hashtag #bekindou. The OSI will repost pictures and those accounts will be entered in a giveaway to win a prize.

All events are free to all members of the OU community and none require registration.