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Dustin Luca
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SALEM, MASS. – A wave of 165 incoming first-year Salem State University students volunteered across the North Shore Friday as part of the university’s 11th annual First Year Day of Service, lending their energy and enthusiasm to 22 community projects touching thousands of lives.
Held the Friday before Convocation every year, the First Year Day of Service is an opportunity for new Vikings to move into campus early and immediately give back at the beginning of their career at Salem State. Students signing up are asked to list issues that matter to them—responses that allow program organizers to assign them to projects that align with their interests.
The program was expanded for its 11th year, with three more community service projects than in 2025 and a new project in Marblehead adding the town to the five communities impacted by the annual event last year. It’s co-led by Katelyn Adams, associate director of the university’s Center for Civic Engagement, and Mathew Chetnik, assistant dean of student success and the First Year Experience department.
The day began for the 2026 Day of Service cohort with breakfast in Marsh Hall and a welcome gathering in the Ellison Campus Center prior to the students going out to their sites for the day by bus.
“This morning, more than 160 of you will head into six communities across the North Shore to support 22 projects that address 14 important community issues,” university President John Keenan told the day’s volunteers at the morning gathering. “That is impact, leadership, and what it means to be a Viking.”
In his remarks, Keenan explained that civic engagement is “not just a value” at Salem State. “It is a way of life.”
“As a life-long Salem resident, giving back to this city has always been important to me, and I’m proud to share that spirit with you today,” Keenan said. “Simply by showing up, you have already taken a powerful step toward success, not just in college, but in life. I encourage you to stay engaged, build connections, and take advantage of the many opportunities around you. Every experience you have here will shape your future, and we are here to support you along the way.”
After the welcome gathering concluded, the students loaded onto buses that then fanned out around the North Shore, hitting sites across Salem and in Lynn, Peabody, Beverly, Danvers, and Marblehead.
One group of students stayed on campus and supported Salem-based mental health advocacy organization Mental Makeover. They did so by building two different kinds of education and prevention boxes the organization provides to those in need of crisis support.
“Our education boxes are for youth in grades K-5, and they’re designed to initiate early conversations around mental health. They’re called ‘Understanding Emotion’ boxes,” said Emily Lonergan, a co-president and co-founder of Mental Makeover. “They’ll also be helping with assembling our support box, the ‘World Needs You Here’ box. This box is filled with coping tools, activities and instructions created alongside clinical staff we’ve partnered with for those who may be struggling and need more than a hotline number to call.”
The boxes created by the students will be distributed to partner organizations that will have them on-hand for members of their communities in need. Previously, Mental Makeover has partnered with and distributed the boxes to HAWC and NAGLY in Salem, school districts including Beverly and Salem Public Schools, and more.
Elsewhere in Salem, incoming Vikings supported Lifebridge North Shore by volunteering in its thrift shop, organized program space and resource shelves at NAGLY, and pitched in at the newly named Sarah Parker Remond School, where the previously named Saltonstall School has grown to include the Carlton Innovation School student population since last school year, following the elementary school’s closure.
Vikings supported three organizations in Lynn, including a project supporting a summer barbecue for Girls Inc. at the Salem Willows park, another helping Leo, Inc.’s Head Start classrooms prepare for the fall, and a third supporting lunch operations at My Brother’s Table.
“The Table loves it when Salem State students volunteer. They bring youthful energy and eagerness to help, and they get a lot done!” said Dianne Kuzia Hills, executive director of My Brother’s Table. “Starting college is a big step in young adults’ lives, and we really appreciate these students turning their focus from their own big transitions toward helping others. Our guests enjoy having fresh faces in the dining room, as do our staff.”
In Peabody, students supported the opening of a new PALS Animal Life Savers animal shelter, where they worked to clean and paint the new shelter. Vikings also worked the garden at Newhall Fields Community Farm and helped to clean and organize kitchens at two of Citizens Inn’s family shelters.
“Today, a group of Salem State students are spending their Day of Service deep cleaning and organizing the community kitchens and dining areas at two of our family shelters, the kind of regular upkeep a busy, shared kitchen needs,” said Melissa González, executive director of Citizens Inn. “That means families can keep cooking dinner for their kids, or gathering to share a meal together, in a space that feels clean, safe, and cared for.
“We're grateful to these students, and to Salem State for their partnership,” González continued. “Volunteers like these are what keep our programs running, particularly our food pantry and community meals programs, which serve more than 6,500 neighbors a year in Salem, Peabody, and beyond.”
In Beverly, Vikings supported Beverly Bootstraps, where they assisted in the organization’s thrift shop and also packed snack bags for children experiencing food insecurity. In Danvers, Vikings volunteered at Northeast Arc, an organization providing support to individuals with disabilities and developmental delays. They helped with an end-of-summer barbecue, where they performed food prep and celebrated with the program’s guests through outdoor games and dancing.
Added this year was the town of Marblehead, where volunteers supported the newly established Marblehead Animal Shelter by cleaning and organizing the shelter.
“We were thrilled that Kate reached out to have students from Salem State University donate their time and give back to surrounding communities,” said Sharman Pollender, a volunteer who helps to manage the shelter. “We are incredibly grateful that they want to make the shelter a welcoming and comfortable space for the people we serve. We are a true no-kill shelter built on volunteers, so any and all help is greatly appreciated.”