The largest one-day student-run service project in the nation is back and its bigger than ever.
The Big Event expects to send more than 19,000 students to 1,900 job sites throughout the Bryan-College Station area on Saturday.
The Big Event unites A&M to connect the students to the community while practicing selfless service, said event director Justin Cardenas. This day embodies the Aggie spirit and shows what being an Aggie is all about. It unifies students, the community and gives an opportunity for students to serve.
This years event will kick-start with a speech from A&M head football coach Kevin Sumlin.
Leann Keach, junior communication major and a Big Event programs executive, said they wanted to have a speaker that could connect to the University and one that students would recognize instantly.
The speech will be followed by a performance by Green River Ordinance, an American rock band from Fort Worth, Texas.
“Green River Ordinance is one of The Big Event’s ways of saying thank you for coming out on March 23 to serve the community, Keach said. We were looking for a band that can energize the students in the morning.
Organizers of The Big Event said they are attempting to leverage the power of social media to reach out to as many people as possible and boost the events visibility.
We are planning on having a live Twitter feed going all day, and we are partnering with Texas A&M University for this, said Ashley McNew, Big Event outreach executive and junior communication major.
Organizers have made it possible to gather all Instagram and Twitter photos from the event into one place.
Students can post pictures on Instagram or Twitter and hashtag BigEvent and their photos could be featured by [A&M],” McNew said.
The Big Event has grown in both popularity and participation since it began in 1982 and this years projected student attendance would break the event record.
“We are excited to serve more residents and make this Big Event the biggest and best yet,” Cardenas said. “Our team has been hard at work with around 220 staff assistants, 40 committee members, and 10 executive staff leaders. They have excelled this year to make this Big Event such a great day.”