THRIVE, an organization at the University of Rhode Island that engages students in impact opportunities to help them find their passion, will be hosting “Social Change: Concept to Reality” on March 3.
In the past, THRIVE has hosted ChangeFest, an event where students who are avid advocates of social change work in teams to find and create solutions to social issues at the University. This year the organization is naming the day “Social Change: Concept to Reality,” and will be running a full day of workshops that cover a wide range of topics that all relate back to social change, giving students the resources they need to empower themselves and others to make social change. The event is meant to empower students by giving them resources and skills to create social change.
“We looked at the resources we had available and decided that this event is a better thing to do,” Jessica Florendo, director of outreach for the club said.
Students participating in the event will go through two rotations, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning rotation will be focused on environmental sustainability as well as diversity and inclusion. The afternoon rotation will consist of project building. Students will have the opportunity to work with a mentor to create and develop a project regarding physical change.
“Our topics were all chosen based on what we thought would be relevant to college students,” Florendo said. “We took into concern the environment we deal with every day on campus and wanted to pick topics that are relevant to student life.”
The concept was pieced together by THRIVE as an organization. All events and workshops will be held in the Memorial Union Ballroom, as well as throughout the rest of building. The organization will consider the event to be a success if any student feels as if they can make even the slightest change.
“There are so many people that feel as if their voice doesn’t matter,” Florendo said. “Most of us in the organization are from all different majors, and we want to give students the resources to be successful in impacting their communities.”