This Valentine’s Day, Marymount University is celebrating a different kind of love: the service, compassion and community impact that underpins the University’s mission. Over the past year, Marymount students have completed a record number of service hours and participated in brand new initiatives to help create real impact in the local community. And with a slate of upcoming service events, Marymount students and staff will continue to make a difference during the Spring semester.
Student-Athletes Shine through Service
During the fall 2025 semester, Marymount student-athletes demonstrated their dedication to giving back by logging more than 2,500 community service hours and generating an estimated $87,514 in economic impact for organizations throughout the region.
One of the most impactful initiatives was a campus-wide canned goods drive that resulted in the collection of 4,590 pounds of food, more than double last year’s total. According to Feeding America, each pound of donated food is valued at approximately $1.97, bringing the estimated value of Marymount’s donation to more than $9,000. The collected goods provided vital support to families facing food insecurity across the community.
Marymount Athletics also held the inaugural Teddy Bear toss at a home basketball game over the holiday season. The team collected 97 stuffed animals, which were donated to Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC.
This year, Marymount Athletics added new service opportunities to its roster in an effort to reach a variety of groups within the community. One such opportunity was a sports day hosted in partnership between Marymount and the Early Learning Academy (ELA) to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day on February 4. This event saw twenty-five female athletes lead over a dozen girls from the ELA in a day of sports events and interactive activities to teach confidence and teamwork.
Marymount Athletics also expanded some of its existing community partnerships, including their long-lasting collaboration with the Special Olympics. In addition to the annual Virginia Area 26 Special Olympics basketball tournament that Marymount hosts in the Lee Center – which is scheduled for March 22, 2026, marking its 30th anniversary – this year, Marymount had the honor of hosting its first Special Olympics soccer tournament. This new event welcomed twenty-one Special Olympics teams and relied on the support of more than 100 Marymount student-athlete volunteers who assisted with event operations and athlete support, creating an inclusive and memorable experience for all participants. Marymount Athletics’ dedication to supporting the Special Olympics earned them a third place in the Special Olympics category at the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA) Community Service Awards earlier this year.
The Athletics department is gearing up for more exciting service opportunities later in the semester, including the NCAA Division III Week Day of Service. These combined efforts reflect Marymount Athletics’ commitment to service as a core part of the Saints experience and the goal of teaching students to lead on and off the field.
Health Care Students Offer a Helping Hand
Marymount seeks to incorporate service into all of its academic programs, teaching students to lead and serve with purpose. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the health care field, where students are taught to make patient care top priority. The various Marymount healthcare programs, including the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Nursing, and Health Sciences programs, provide ample opportunities for students to serve outside the classroom.
In December, students from Marymount’s DPT program organized a trip to Arlington National Cemetery to participate in the annual wreath laying ceremony run by Wreaths Across America. The ceremony included laying a wreath on a fallen soldier’s grave and saying their name as a way of honoring their service and sacrifice. Students invited faculty and administrators to join them in supporting fallen heroes and representing Marymount to the wider community.
Looking ahead to the rest of the semester, many Saints will embark on service-oriented Spring Break trips aimed at serving underprivileged communities across the country and the globe. Several nursing and medical students will travel to remote regions in Appalachia to serve in Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinics, providing free medical, dental, vision and physical therapy services to the impoverished, isolated and underserved of those communities.
Similarly, a cohort of Marymount Doctor of Physical Therapy students will partake in their annual service learning trip to Latin America, to bring physical therapy skills and supplies to at-risk communities. This year’s trip – funded by the money raised from the Marymount 5K slated for April 25, 2026 – will take students to Guatemala to enhance their understanding of multicultural care and adaptive healthcare practices.
Clubs Give Back to the Community
Throughout the year, students are encouraged to participate in service initiatives offered through the thirty-plus student organizations on campus. During the holiday season, a variety of clubs hosted food, clothing and wellness drives to support local food pantries and homeless shelters, while other organized card making events for local senior centers and hospitals.
Several clubs also run regular service initiatives, including the Food for Thought Club which hosts a weekly sandwich-making event with local non-profit, PathForward. The club also regularly harvests produce grown in the on-campus garden and donates it to organizations combating food insecurity in the Arlington area.
Other campus groups such as Marymount’s Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM), participate in larger scale projects including service trips run through the Alternative Spring Break program. This March, the Catholic Campus Ministry will send students to Asheville, North Carolina to help local organizations, rebuild homes and support families affected by Hurricane Helene.
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With more than 850 service commitments completed during the fall semester alone, Marymount students continue to demonstrate that service is more than participation. It is a reflection of the University’s mission and the Saints’ dedication to making a lasting difference in the communities they serve. This Valentine’s Day, these efforts serve as a reminder that love can be expressed through action, generosity and compassion, and that leading with a spirit of service allows Marymount Saints to make a lasting impact wherever they go.
