Spirit, positive energy and inspiration are some of the characteristics Park University students reflect in the community.

Michele Logue, Financial Aid Specialist at Park, explained how a small act of kindness changed the way she sees Park students.

“As staff, it was very encouraging to see Park students at their best,” she said.

“I went to one of the women’s volleyball games and I took a little neighborhood girl with me

“After the game we went down to say hello to the players and I was just overwhelmed with the positive feeling for our students because each of the girls who have just got done playing as soon as they saw us and without anyone saying, ‘Hey this is the right thing to do.’ They stopped and came over and said hello to the little girl.”

Meah, who is only nine years old, joined volleyball team after the game, according to Logue. She practices in the afternoons and has attended the Park women’s volleyball games since then.

“This was her first time to a college game and she felt like the most special person in the world,” said Logue. “I asked her mom the next day what her reaction was and she said she was jumping up and down and telling everybody she met the coach and she met the players.”

According to Logue, all the volleyball team was involved and each player showed some kind of interest in Meah, who wanted to know more about the sport. She now has a pass she got from the team to attend future games.

“They were just reacting in a very positive manner and it made me proud of the students and we forgot to say that to them,” said Logue. “What that did to that little girl, she’s telling her friends about it and how Park made a positive influence on. Maybe later that child may think about joining Park so look what they did to the community.”

Logue expressed how students gave back to the community by doing a small act of kindness. Also, according to her, not only the volleyball women’s team but also the men’s volleyball team and soccer team who were helping and cheering at the game were involved and made Meah real confident and enjoy the game.

“When you see students each day you think they are just students, they are studying and they’re busy,” she said.

“And they didn’t have to do any of that but they did, and they stopped and gave back to the community they are involved in. It’s funny how you do something nice to one person how it spreads, she went and told her friends so more little girls want to come and support the volleyball team.”

Logue encourages other staff members to attend Pirate games and participate with the students. She said it is important to see students as an important piece of the community.

“I can’t get over how good I felt that I want other members to come and join the students,” she said.

“I think the staff needs to get to know students, and they need to participate in what students do: go to the games, go the plays, go to the homecoming events… We have such good students and we miss out by not participating, we don’t see than many staff members there.”

Park student Rob Coredero, senior in international business and volleyball player, also emphasized the importance of staff at- tending the games and getting involved with the students.

“I think it is a great idea for the staff to get to know better the student athletes since they just see us around on campus but they don’t see us forming at what we do as ath- letes,” said Cordero.

“I also think they can bring their family and kids that maybe want to do sports but they are not sure what they want to do so by seeing us playing, it can help them to decide what sport they want to get involved with.”