Departments compete to feed students in need

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: Saloma Ayoub

Staff Writer

The Giving Cup celebrates the individual threaded ties we all bring to the Hudson Valley Tapestry.

In 2003, Hudson Valley created the Giving Cup competition to support the HVCC Food Pantry. The interdepartmental spar begins in the early weeks of school and ends in April.

Louis Coplin II, Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Development said the competition gathers nonperishable foods to be redistributed to the student body.

What all started with a small closet in the Siek Student Campus Center has produced wealth and joy in the form of civic engagement for over two decades.

For the five-year duration of their participation, the math and science department have won uncontested. Susan Kutryb, math and engineering science department chairperson, however, said, “It’s a win for our students [above a trophy.]”

The math department’s effort heat things up for the other participants though. Last year 11,005 items were gathered! In one week, one department put up almost 500 items.

“It’s been a great experience to see the competitive side of [the departments] for such a good cause. I get a lot of personal joy,” said Katherine Haynes, program assistant of history, philosophy and social sciences, who stitches the event together.

It’s not all about competition though. “There really are no secrets [to winning]. We have people in our department who feel the Food Pantry is very important, so [they] contribute regularly,” Kutryb said.

Many professors on campus believe food is an essential school supply. Coplin acknowledges the fact there are students on campus that are in need of food. Which is why the HVCC Food Pantry was started.

Coplin mentions that in order to further combat student hunger, Governor Cuomo has put into law that all SUNY campuses must be equipped with a Food Pantry in support of students who may be struggling.

Hudson Valley is looking to invest in freezers to extend the array and availability of options. “[Some] may eat very well but do not cook very well,” Coplin said.

The conception of the Giving Cup can be accredited to Peter Sawyer, Department Chairperson of history, philosophy and social sciences.

When Sawyer instituted the competition as part of the Academic Senate and the Committee for Civic Engagement the goal was to establish ties within the students’ hearts to the institution.

“[The Giving Cup] allows students to identify with their departments and to [acknowledge hunger and help the student body]. When students are motivated in school, and they learn more about themselves by being in an organization and working with other people,” Sawyer said.

The benefits of contributing to the Food Pantry is not only helping students stay fed, but also keeping them motivated throughout the semester.

Coplin said that food is not only essential to the student’s physical well-being but also their mental well-being. Which is why it’s important to help when we can.