Monarchs in the Community
Climbing the Rankings
Every year the NCAA and Helper Helper collaborate to create a community service challenge for all Division I schools. Schools are evaluated on time donated and participation levels. While partnering with Helper Helper, ODU finished in the top 10 in community engagement hours served with a total of 7,645 and a participation level of 99% for the 2023-24 academic year. The Monarchs were 1 of 7 Sun Belt Conference Schools to finish in the Top 25 and 1 of 4 Sun Belt Teams to finish in the top 10. For the second year in a row ODU has placed 9th in the country for amount of time donated by student athletes. ODU's goal is to help student athletes cultivate a heart for service and create a habit of giving back to local communities. ODU Athletics strives not only to teach student athletes to serve our Hampton Roads area, but to become lifelong volunteers in every aspect of their life.
Hours Donated Over the Years
2023- 2024 Community Service Recap
23-24 Total community engagement hours served– 7,645
Monarchs helped collect non-perishable items for ODU's Food Pantry that provides resources for student in need - Over $2,000 were donated and 5,500 non-perishable items were given to the ODU Food Pantry to help support food insecurity.
ODU Athletics and SAAC continue to highlight the importance of mental health and suicide prevention through our collaboration with ODU Lacrosse's Morgan's Message awareness game. Morgan's Message aims to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health in the student athlete community.
ODU Baseball helped Larchmont Elementary with their annual neighborhood fundraiser. The team volunteered as course marshals throughout the race handing out waters and medals to all runners while ensuring the safety from start to finish.
ODU Athletics collaborates with Aid Another Organization to provide a prom event for young adults with disabilities. Aid Another is dedicated to ensuring the ongoing success of individuals with special needs by providing valuable vocational and educational opportunities. ODU Athletics is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities and their families through this annual event.
ODU Lacrosse volunteered to help our campus wide initiative to collect over 25,000 perishable items for the Hampton Roads Community
ODU student athletes visited over 30 elementary schools in the Hampton Roads area to discuss the importance of higher education and literacy. Read Across America is an initiative to promote literacy and encourage a love of reading among future scholars
ODU Athletics works with ODU alumni community relations for a fun interactive day surrounded around promoting higher education and building relationships in the community. Each semester student athletes visit a Norfolk elementary school for field day. A day filled of events, arts and crafts and athletes serve on a student panel for rising middle schoolers.