How to ‘Lend a Hand With Libby,’ Miss Auburn 2012-2013
It seems like volunteering has been in Libby Lukens’ blood since a young age. She volunteered at her church as a youth, went on numerous mission projects, and as a sophomore in high school she actually started a non-profit mission project called Tucker Interfaith Mission Experience (TIME). TIME is a week-long, youth-lead mission to reroof homes in the Tucker, Georgia area. So it came to be a natural transition to college when she started diving into the realm of service at Auburn. The love story with service continued with The Big Event as a wide-eyed freshman absorbing everything she could. From there came Assistant Director of The Big Event the following year as a sophomore and also IMPACT Project Coordinator.
Fast forward to the middle of Libby’s junior year and you will find her shocked and honored when IMPACT nominated her for Miss Auburn. Two interviews, two callouts, four months and lots of planning later she was elected as the 2012-2013 Miss Auburn. Here is Libby’s account of her campaign, ‘Lend a Hand with Libby’ and the experience as a whole.
“What an honor to even be nominated by my friends and then to be elected by the student body. It came as a shock to me that an organization (IMPACT) that has given me so much would choose me to represent them.
Because of my passion for service, it seemed fitting when picking a platform to stay in the realm of service. Not only did I want to promote the opportunities we have for students to volunteer, I wanted to expand our eyes past the Auburn bubble. So many of Lee County students are on free and reduced lunch, showing us how there is a need in this community. And as college students we can fulfill that need with giving our time.
In the past few months of being Miss Auburn one of the points I have been working on is making headway on finding out specific needs of the community, more specifically at the Boykin Center where Joyland Daycare is located. Because there are so many kids in the area surrounding campus that need love I’ve tried to find those opportunities to connect the student body with community and establish a relationship.
So if anyone were to be passionate about helping children I would encourage them to lend a hand with IMPACT projects that go to Joyland Daycare and the Boys and Girls Club, or even volunteer with Auburn City Schools and the Public Library by reading to children. There are so many options and opportunities to fulfill the need of service to families, it is just a matter of getting Auburn University students aware. This next year is going to be really exciting as we start to reveal the vast array of service projects for students and a way to connect this community.”
