Promoting Kindness and Celebrating Service
November 10, 2023
Dear Scarlet Knights,
I write to you at an emotionally charged time on our campus—and, indeed, across the world. Please take these final six weeks of the semester to focus on your priorities as a student and as a Rutgers community. With all the stressors that you may be experiencing, I also encourage you to think about how you can contribute to strengthening our Scarlet Knight community and supporting each other in the process.
This upcoming Monday is World Kindness Day and it provides us with an opportunity to engage with the community, reflect on current events, and act with compassion and gratitude towards each other. In this spirit, the upcoming week will afford students some different opportunities to observe World Kindness Day. On Monday, November 13, Rabbi Reed from Rutgers Hillel and Chaplain Kaiser from the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers will hold an interfaith processing space at 7:00 PM in the New Brunswick Theological Seminary. In the week ahead, there will also be a “Five Days of Gratitude” challenge taking place to inspire us to reflect on the things that we are grateful for in our lives. Check the Rutgers Student Health Instagram, rustudenthealth, each day next week for that day’s challenge and the rules. Next week, you will also see some of our Student Centers, Recreation, and Dining spaces decorated in promotion of World Kindness Day and stressing the importance of engaging in “acts of kindness.” Consider stopping by the Kindness and Gratitude Table on Tuesday, November 14 in the College Avenue Student Center from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Spin the Wellness Wheel, answer questions about how you can be compassionate to yourself and others, and receive a giveaway from HOPE.
From Saturday, November 11 through Saturday, November 18, the university has planned a selection of events to raise awareness and participate in volunteer service on issues surrounding food and housing insecurity. Please consider participating in these events and volunteer opportunities. For members of the fraternity and sorority community, thank you in advance for participating in the upcoming second annual Philanthropy Week.
The Division of Student Affairs will also sponsor two student events in November. The first event will allow you to learn about the challenges and opportunities associated with free speech on campus, and in the second event, you will discuss with peers the harmful and beneficial effects of social media on public discourse. Please stay tuned for more information.
In closing, even in the darkest of times, remember we are better together – we are all members of the Scarlet Knight community.
Sincerely,
Salvador B. Mena, Ph.D. (he, him, his)
Senior Vice Chancellor for the Student Experience
Rutgers University–New Brunswick