校园及社区影响
When people, partnerships and passion intersect, incredible transformation occurs. 在韦德体育app官网校园里, 慈善随处可见, 影响着我们学生的生活, 教师, 员工和校友在大大小小的方面.
学生的成功, 研究, discovery and opportunity are all impacted through philanthropic vision and commitment. 韦德体育app官网 is blessed with a generous community of supporters who share our vision. Stories of impact are everywhere and we are proud to share stories of some of the philanthropists making a difference in the 韦德体育app官网 community.
心灵之食
“I think most people need to have a goal or purpose in order to enjoy life. 对于退休人员来说尤其如此.——名誉教授，乔治·甘博亚博士.D.
When the 金灰熊食品储藏室 officially opened its doors in fall 2018, 乔治, 牛津大学名誉教授, 还有他的妻子, 特蕾莎修女Gamboa, 你退休, 立即响应它的行动号召.
They saw an opportunity to address a need they had first witnessed many years ago.
“I personally knew undergraduate and graduate students who were struggling financially.” Gamboa shares, reflecting on his 32 years of teaching biology at OU. “Some of these students were co-authors on our 研究 publications who were working multiple jobs, 对于研究生来说, 这是除了他们的助教奖学金之外.”
As a professor, 乔治 was a proud advocate for his students. As retirees, 乔治 and Teresa have become cherished activists. “As students once ourselves, we know how hard it can be,” Teresa shares.
乔治 and Teresa donate approximately 400 pounds of food each month to the 金灰熊食品储藏室.
“The pantry wouldn’t be what it is today without their contributions,食品储藏室经理说, 贝拉莱维特, 研究生助理和硕士项目实习生.
True to their caring nature, the Gamboas are always thoughtful in their contributions.
乔治 contacts the pantry ahead of time to determine what items the pantry needs most.
Over the years, the Gamboas have become familiar with student favorites (hint: it’s 不 green beans), and they take pride in knowing their donations are flying off the shelves. “We have learned a lot about students; we didn’t realize pop-top canned goods were so important,特蕾莎说, 不ing that students do 不 always have access to a can opener.
近年来, 随着疫情的蔓延和粮食价格的上涨, the Gamboas’ support has meant more to the pantry than ever.
“When we have a week that our shelves are getting low, 我对自己说, 甘布阿夫妇下星期要来, 我们会没事的.莱维特说.
从第一次上架到现在已经五年了, it’s hard to imagine 韦德体育app官网 without the 金灰熊食品储藏室.
Raenece (Rae) Johnson之前, 中科院的18, lecturer and coordinator of field education for the social work program at OU, began her 研究 with the director of OU’s social work program, 玛丽亚梁, Ph.D., 医师的19, the idea that 韦德体育app官网 students were struggling with food insecurity wasn’t widely understood.
作为她研究生阶段实习的一部分, Johnson spent two years 研究ing food insecurity at 韦德体育app官网, and what other colleges in our state and across the country were doing to help students. “当我们考虑公开大学的学生保留计划时,约翰逊说。, “we have to think about students’ state of well-being and its impact on their success. We view the 金灰熊食品储藏室 as a major contributor to OU’s strategic plan.”
Johnson和Dr. 比姆的研究，在 让·安·米勒, senior director for the office of student involvement, 金灰熊的储藏室诞生了.
Housed in a central location on campus, the pantry is easily accessed by shoppers. 2022年夏天, the pantry moved to a larger space in the 奥克兰中心 basement, 现在在49G房间.
除了最近的举动, the pantry was awarded a grant through Swipe Out Hunger, an organization dedicated to ending hunger on college campuses, which allowed the 金灰熊食品储藏室 to purchase a large refrigerator. 消费者现在可以买到酸奶了, 牛奶, OU的校园学生有机农产品, and other perishable items that were previously unavailable without refrigeration.
The pantry aims to address the specific needs of 韦德体育app官网's unique student body; including OU’s large populations of commuter students, 非传统学生和转学生.
“我知道存在粮食不安全问题, 但当我接受这份工作时, 这是一个多么严重的问题，这让我非常震惊,莱维特说. “我真的很幸运能得到这份工作. Once I started doing this work, I realized I can do really great things”.
不像其他储藏室, no appointment is needed and no personal information is required from shoppers. Visiting the pantry will never impact a student’s ability to receive financial aid. “Anyone in the OU community who could benefit from the pantry should use it.” Johnson says, “If you don’t have access to adequate, nutritious food, then the pantry is for you.”
In addition to food and toiletry items, the pantry now offers a garment closet. Shoppers can choose and keep an unlimited number of clothing items. Levitt hopes to one day offer more career wear like scrubs, graduation caps and robes.
Today, Johnson still works closely with the pantry as an advisor. 她和莱维特都把甘布阿一家视为家人. “We are so thankful for the 先锋俱乐部 bringing them to us,” Johnson glows.
在食品室工作之外, 乔治 and Teresa have been loyal supporters of many important initiatives at 韦德体育app官网. 2003年，他们成立了自己的基金会G & T Gamboa行为 & 生态学学生研究基金, to support undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in biology.
As to why the Gamboas continue to support students at 韦德体育app官网, 特蕾莎简单地回答, “学生是我们的未来.”
了解更多有关 金灰熊食品储藏室.