During the week of Thanksgiving, two lucky students from the Ross Medical Education Center campus in Lansing, Michigan each received a free turkey to help them celebrate with their families! The turkeys were donated by the Michigan State University School of Social Work.
Shari Brooks in Ross Medical Education Center’s Career Development Office shared a little about the fun holiday event. “Each year the MSU School of Social Work partners with community organizations to provide either a meal through their “Homies Giving” dinner event or turkey donations to area students. This year, Ross Medical Education Center of Lansing was the recipient of two turkeys. The turkeys were then raffled off to participating students.”
Elyshia Royster, a student in the Ross Medical Assistant program, and Jody Tyler, a student in the Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration program, were thrilled to win the turkeys just in time to round out their families’ Thanksgiving tables. Elyshia exclaimed, “this is so exciting! I never win anything!” Jody said this about her win, “this is so awesome. I feel so blessed to have won and to be a part of such a great family.”
According to their website, Michigan State University’s Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions Annual Thanksgiving Day Unity Dinner “is a celebration of the diversity at MSU and was implemented to welcome and support students from various racial, ethnic, international and domestic backgrounds.”
Over a decade ago, Felipe Lopez, an aide with the office, known at that time as the Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs, saw a need to help hundreds of students who were isolated and alone during the long Thanksgiving weekend. Dining hall hours were limited, as were many students’ budgets, so Felipe planned a free pizza dinner and dubbed it “Homies-Giving.” Felipe Lopez moved on from MSU in 2007, but he left behind a tradition that continues today. Since its beginning in 2003, the dinner has evolved into a plentiful meal that is enjoyed by hundreds each year.
If you are interested in attending or donating to this community-building event in the future, please contact Juan Flores at floresj2@vps.msu.edu or call (517) 353-9590.