Past Events

If you see an experience here that you would like to repeat, recreate, or plan for next year, please contact Andrea Leifer with your ideas.

April 17, 2009: Upstate students celebrated spring and volunteered at the North Area Athletic and Education Center. They created fruit art prints and played nutrition bingo with 30 local school children.

April 13-17, 2009: The Second Annual Raffle to Benefit Amaus Clinic raised $3,250 for the uninsured and underinsured in Syracuse. Prizes included: Roundtrip plane ticket to anywhere in the U.S. on Jet Blue Airlines (Grand Prize); 32 inch HD Samsung Flat Panel TV (Second Place); “A Taste of Marshall Street” Package (Third Place); Dinner and a Movie/Comedy Show for Two (Fourth Place); “Pamper me Pretty” Spa & Jewelry Package (Fifth Place).

March 30 - April 3, 2009: Upstate students participated in the White Ribbon Campaign to raise awareness about domestic and sexual violence, selling white ribbons and bracelets to the Upstate campus community.

March 20, 2009: Upstate students sprung into service and volunteered at the North Area Athletic and Education Center. They created working model lungs with 30 local school children on the first day of spring to discuss the effects of asthma and allergies.

February 15, 2009: Upstate students coordinated a chili cook-off with to benefit physical therapy research.

February 13, 2009: Upstate students had a heart and volunteered at the North Area Athletic and Education Center. They taught 30 local school children how to be heart healthy for Valentine's Day through a series of interactive games and activities.

February 11, 2009: Upstate students assembled and distributed 115 winter care packages for during an evening meal at the Samaritan Center to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

January 26 - April 8, 2009: Upstate students engaged teams of fifth grade students at Dr. King Magnet School in scientific inquiry and investigation. The science fair was held April 8, and prizes were given in the categories of Most Creative/Unique, Most Educational, and Best Effort.

January 21 - March 4, 2009: Upstate first-year medical students introduced the concepts of healthy eating to second grade students during afterschool activities at Dr. King Magnet School over a six week period.

January 19, 2009: Upstate students helped to make MLK Day a day-on, not a day-off by volunteering at the North Area Athletic and Education Center. They helped 30 local school children learn about the food pyramid and healthy eating habits.

November 21, 2008: Upstate medical students coordinated an eye clinic for Burmese refugees to screen for ophthalmic disorders and provide preventative medicine.

October 29 - December 10, 2008: Upstate first-year medical students introduced the concepts of healthy eating to fourth and fifth grade students during afterschool activities at Dr. King Magnet School over a six week period.

October 1-31, 2008: Coordinated by Team Upstate, donations of blankets, linens, coats, and mittens came pouring in throughout the month of October to benefit refugees beginning a new life in Syracuse, who receive support services from the Center for New Americans.

October 26, 2008: The Upstate community supported Ted Stoddard as he ran in a charity marathon for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to raise money for cancer research. Over $5,600 was raised in Ted's name alone for cancer research efforts.

October 17, 2008: First and second year medical students, adorned with white coats, presented nearly 100 third graders at Dr. King school with new dictionaries. The elementary students were encouraged to pursue a career in medicine and be proactive in their learning. The young audience truly embraced the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with one student asking, "Was this your dream? How did you achieve it?"

Many thanks to Team Upstate for their dedication to this project.
Pictures from the event are available at http://www.upstate.edu/teamupstate/gallery/main.php

October 15, 2008 - May 13, 2009: Upstate students bring health education to teenagers twice a month throughout the fall and spring semesters.  Booth House is operated by the Salvation Army to provide young adults with difficult living situations a temporary place to stay.

October 15, 2008 - June 11, 2009: Upstate students participated one-on-one with 3rd grade students at Dr. King Magnet School each week during the fall and spring semesters.

October 6, 2008: The LGBTSTR8 Co-Operative of SUNY Upstate Medical University and University Hospital held a bake sale to raise money for the Friends of Dorothy House in Syracuse. The Friends of Dorothy House is an organization that provides housing and services for individuals with HIV/AIDS that they otherwise would be unable to provide for themselves, like meals, help with transportation for doctor's appointments, and emotional support, all provided at no cost.

October 4, 2008: SUNY Upstate Medical University hosted 60 pre-health students from Syracuse University. A tour of the campus was given to small groups which reconvened in the cafeteria for a Q&A panel from fifteen medical students. Syracuse students learned about the application process, opportunities for a gap year, and how to become more involved in health care in the community. These students will be paired with Upstate students in a Big Sib/Little Sib program in the near future.

Thanks to the Office of Multicultural Affairs, CSTEP, SNMA, and SU HPAP for coordinating this effort.

October 3-17, 2008: "Be the Change Day" celebrates Mahatma Gandhi's legacy and significant contributions to community service and leadership. On October 2, Gandhi's birthday, the South Asian Medical Student Association (SAMSA), along with the Graduate Student Council (GSC), launched a food drive to support the refugee population in Syracuse which is served in part by the soup kitchen at the First English Lutheran Church on James Street.

September 27, 2008: Upstate students cleaned and painted the Samaritan Center's common and dining areas. This opportunity was in conjunction with the community outreach bus tour given during orientation.

August 23, 2008: All new incoming students participated in a bus tour of Syracuse which introduced them to the community and avenues for volunteerism. With stops at community organizations including Amaus Free Clinic, the Samaritan Center, and Syracuse Community Health Center, students were educated about the nutrition and health care challenges facing members of the Syracuse community. Students were given a pre- and post-tour survey to assess the impact of the tour, and were also asked to submit a written response about their experience.