Army-Baylor Students Lead Through Service and Impact

While many of our students volunteer to serve in the military, pursuing a full-time master’s degree often takes us away from our traditional duties and responsibilities of service. In these moments, the desire to serve can feel like a gap that needs to be filled. Volunteering becomes an excellent outlet for maintaining that connection to service and community. This year, our student volunteers have not only embraced this opportunity but have gone above and beyond in making meaningful contributions. The following article highlights the exceptional work and dedication of these individuals, showcasing the impact they’ve made in both their academic and volunteer endeavors.

Class of 2023-2025

Over the past year, Lt. Cmdr. Kate Svenson dedicated 58 hours to volunteer service, supporting the community, the Mayo Clinic and the American College of Healthcare Executives ACHE Local Program Council (LPC) for the Southern Minnesota Chapter.

Leveraging her prior certification as a victim advocate, she contributed more than 32 hours as a crisis line responder, providing critical support to individuals in need across Olmsted County.

At the Mayo Clinic, she actively participated in various volunteer initiatives, including:

• Helping Hands Service Program: Assisting in patient-centered service areas to enhance care and support staff well-being.
• Staff Appreciation Events: Contributing to the Staff Appreciation Picnic, Sister Lauren’s Ice Cream Social and the Treat Trolley program – an initiative that allows leadership to engage with staff and express gratitude through small gestures of appreciation.

Additionally, Svenson played a key role in professional development initiatives by planning and coordinating the inaugural virtual learning opportunity for the ACHE Local Program Council Southern Minnesota Chapter. This event provided 46 members with valuable educational content, earning them 1.5 continuing education credits.

Class of 2024-2026

Despite a rigorous, condensed didactic year, our students completed 537 hours of documented volunteer hours! That equates to more than 12 days straight of volunteer work. There were several well-attended class volunteer events such as: building a mini golf course for a local church’s pumpkin patch, Family Services’ “walk on the westside” event, Family Services’ adopt-a-family event, Child Safe’s Santa’s workshop event and a local creek clean up called the “basura bash.” The students found these events to be truly rewarding, but most of all, fun, teambuilding events!

Beyond these group events, students were encouraged to volunteer individually. Individual student volunteer service included:

• Les Armstrong volunteered 40 hours at multiple events, including his church, a San Antonio running club’s trail run event and the San Antonio Food Bank. 
• Aaron Fielden volunteered 52 hours teaching medical response to active shooter events to the local community. Aaron also served his church as a security officer and as a youth sports coach.
• Bethany Gurba volunteered 96 hours at the BookCellar inside the San Antonio Central Library.
• Dan Johnson was the student volunteer co-coordinator, attending each group volunteer event this year, totaling 14 hours. 
• Dan Perez supported Boy Scout Troop 23 on Joint Base San Antonio as an adult leader, supporting 46 members and volunteering 138 hours.
• KyLee Roberts coached youth cheerleading for 112 hours this year, dedicating four days a week. 
• Kameron Williams volunteered 14 hours to multiple events over the year, including Haven for Hope and the San Antonio Food Bank. 

In the end, these student volunteers exemplify the true spirit of selfless service, proving that even while assigned to the classroom, their commitment to making a difference remains unwavering.