The Oakland University Leadership and Volunteer Center (LVC) and Office for Student Involvement (OSI) hosted Kindness Week from Feb. 13-17. The organizations presented a variety of events and activities available for student, staff and faculty members to participate in, with an aim to spread intentional kindness throughout OU’s campus and the local community.

“The LVC and OSI have hosted a Kindness Week at OU for several years,” Daryl Blackburn, the OSI coordinator of leadership and service programs, said. “It is a well-attended event every year, allowing us to spread lots of love throughout the OU community.”

Kindness Week kicked off with a tabling event in the Oakland Center. OSI and LVC representatives invited students to write kind messages on sticky notes for a kindness wall display. Attendees were also encouraged to snap photos at the event to add to the OSI’s kindness campaign.

Punch cards were given to individuals that attended Kindness Week activities, challenging students to attend at least four of the events. Those who completed this challenge were able to earn an entry into a raffle for a chance to win a prize.

Just in time for midterms, therapy dogs visited campus to kick off Kindness Week on Feb. 13. Students were invited to pet the therapy dogs in the Oakland Center Garage Room from noon to 3 p.m. The goal of this event was to encourage students to practice self-kindness by taking care of themselves physically and emotionally during periods of heightened stress.

“The goals of OU Kindness Week are to practice intentional kindness throughout the community, towards the environment and towards yourself,” Blackburn said.

Students and staff had the chance to show kindness to the local community by participating in a variety of service projects during the OU Day of Kindness which took place on Feb. 15 in the Habitat. Some activities included coloring activity placements, creating colorful photo frames out of popsicle sticks and designing superhero capes for local children’s hospitals.

At the event, students were invited to add words of support to a banner designed for the Michigan State University community, following the Feb. 13 active shooter incident. 

On the morning of Feb. 16, representatives from the LVC and OSI greeted library visitors with complimentary cookies and cocoa at the main entrance of Kresge Library. This random act of kindness was organized as a simple gesture to brighten the day of hardworking students and staff.

The LVC and OSI have many events planned for the remainder of the winter semester. On March 10, the 2023 “Be the Change” Student Leadership Conference will be hosted in the Oakland Center Gold Rooms from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Student Leadership Conference — an annual event organized by the OSI — is intended to enhance the leadership skills of young student leaders on OU’s campus. Student attendees will have the chance to win a scholarship from the Oakland University Credit Union. More information about this event can be found by visiting the OSI GrizzOrgs page.