The Volunteer Action Center at the U of A is proud to host the annual Make a Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. This campus-wide day of service is dedicated to connecting students with impactful volunteer opportunities across Northwest Arkansas.
Make a Difference Day is one of the university's largest service events, offering students the chance to engage directly with local nonprofits and community organizations through 34 different service project opportunities. In 2025, the initiative brought together more than 500 student volunteers, who contributed over 1,350 hours of service, resulting in more than $46,966.50 in economic impact to the region.
The VAC invites all students to participate by signing up to volunteer for one or more of the projects through the Make A Difference Day Givepulse page!
Participants will gather on the Union Mall at 8 a.m. for breakfast, T-shirt pickup, raffle entries and a kickoff celebration before heading to their assigned projects. Opportunities span a variety of interests and causes, allowing students to find a service site that aligns with their passions.
Students are encouraged to join in making a tangible difference in the community, fostering connection, compassion and civic engagement from the very beginning of the academic year.
For more information or questions, please contact the Volunteer Action Center's Service Engagement chair, M.J. Ferguson (vacsec@uark.edu), or Service Engagement intern, Nathan Mishra (vacint2@uark.edu).
Contacts
Donna Jones,
Center for Community Engagement
479-575-4365, cce@uark.edu