2024-25 YEAR IN REVIEW: Citizenship

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University student-athletes not only found great success in the classroom and in competition but also took time to record over 10,000 service hours throughout the academic year. Through community engagement, drives, and special days on campus, like Victory Day and National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Eagles spread joy and met with numerous children and adults from all walks of life.

Community Engagement: All 19 varsity programs led events, contributing over 10,000 service hours, primarily benefiting Ypsilanti.
Led by our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, EMU Athletics emerged victorious in the Mid-American Conference Canned Food Drive Competition, collecting an impressive 3,433 canned goods, more than double the amount collected by our opponent (Buffalo). The spirited competition fostered school pride and served a greater purpose - addressing hunger within and around the campus community. Donations collected at EMU events were directed to Swoop's Pantry.
The EMU Department of Athletics hosted interactive skill sessions for children in the community to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day. This event was held in conjunction with a women's basketball game and participants learned the importance of being active in sports, as well as receiving autographs from the student-athletes and a T-shirt.
The EMU football team held the 11th edition of Victory Day, as the Eagles hosted a record 265 cognitively and physically impaired children. Student-athletes, as well as the coaching staff, took part in an exciting event of football-related activities inside EMU's Indoor Practice Facility.
The baseball team volunteered two weekends in the fall with the Miracle League of Plymouth. The mission of this organization is to enrich the community by providing educational and social development through high-quality recreation programs, including baseball, for individuals with special needs and their families. Our baseball student-athletes were able to help share the love of the game by running the bases and interacting with these incredible children and their families.
Nearly every Friday throughout the 2024-25 academic year, the women's volleyball team visited the Ypsilanti International Elementary School and read to the children and emphasized the importance of reading.
This spring, the women's soccer team took the time to visit Northville Elementary School, where they read with the students, helped in a few gym classes and spent time on the playground with the Young 5s class.
The EMU Athletics and the University of Detroit Mercy Department of Athletics teamed up to make a difference through the Winter Clothes Drive. The two schools collected coats, scarves, hats, and gloves to benefit local families in need. Items donated at EMU went to support Ozone House, a vital nonprofit organization based in Washtenaw County that has provided support to homeless and at-risk youth since 1969.
Our student-athletes hosted the Halloween Extravaganza for local kids, featuring themed stations with games, giveaways and candy.
Student-athletes across multiple teams volunteered with the EMU Charter School Band Day Visit, which included a campus tour, band practice, Q&A with student-athletes, and halftime performance at a football game.
Little Peanuts Starting Lineups: Local youth joined the men's basketball team during warm-ups and starting lineups throughout the season.
Additional community partnerships were established with Ann Arbor YMCA (Men's Basketball), Estabrook Elementary (Football), Foundation Preschool (Football), Mitchell Elementary PTO Ice Cream Social (Multiple Sports), Perry Early Learning Center (Football), Ronald McDonald House (Women's Basketball), Y on the Fly (Men's Basketball), Ypsilanti National Little League (Baseball) and Ypsilanti International Elementary Science Day (Football)

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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