Ohio Wesleyan University announced that two student teams participated in the university's annual Spring Break Service Week, dedicating a week to community service. The announcement was made in a press release on March 27, 2025.
According to the press release, before departing and at their return celebration, Ohio Wesleyan University students participating in the annual Spring Break Service Week received blessings from University Chaplain Chad Johns. He offered a traditional Franciscan blessing to guide the teams. The teams, which traveled between March 8 and March 16, reconvened on March 26 to share their experiences. Members engaged in distinct service missions in locations such as New Orleans, Louisiana, and South Carolina.
"May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people and the earth with tears to shed for those who suffer so you will reach out your hands to offer comfort and walk in solidarity from pain into joy," said Johns. "And may God bless you with the foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so you will do the things which others say cannot be done."
The first team, Disaster Recovery with SBP, worked in New Orleans with a nonprofit co-founded by OWU graduate Zack Rosenburg. They assisted in rebuilding efforts following hurricane devastation. The second team, Urban and Elsewhere, focused on serving at the intersections of nature and human need in South Carolina. They worked on rural trails and urban gardening projects while fostering community connections among Black students.
Ohio Wesleyan University is a liberal arts institution founded in 1842 and located in Delaware, Ohio. It offers over 70 undergraduate majors and participates in 24 NCAA Division III sports. Its academic program, The OWU Connection, emphasizes interdisciplinary learning, global perspectives, and real-world experiences. The university provides opportunities for internships, study abroad programs, and community service. Ohio Wesleyan is recognized for its high graduate employment rates and has a campus with over 100 student organizations.
