While Little 500 events round off, and the weekend comes to a close, The IU Student Foundation concludes more than just the race, but rather an entire campaign called Students Helping Students.
Beginning on Qualifications weekend, and ending the Sunday following the Little 500 race, the Students Helping Students campaign raises money to support a new student-focused benefactor each year. This year, mental health was at the forefront, partnering with the Office of the Chief Health Officer, to install a new balance room on campus.
“They (OCHO) said, would you want a designated mental health room on campus where you could go, like the Kelley Balance Room, and we brought that idea to our committee and had them vote, and everyone agreed that was probably what we would use the most. So there’s going to be a spot like that on campus that is accessible to all IU students,” IUSF SHS Steering Committee member Natalie Manfredini said.
IU Student Foundation Steering Committee member Natalie Manfredini gives insights into the Students Helping Students campaign.
The Little 500 was originally started back in 1951 as a way to create scholarships for the riders and help them financially at the institution. However, as that idea began to fizzle out, SHS began just last year to bring philanthropy initiatives back into the Little 500, but doing so in a way that benefits IU students the most, and encourages them to get involved in the program.
Through the campaign, IUSF uses social media and campus events to promote the fundraising. But, in order to maximize the effectiveness, they also created ways to get the riders to join in. The first way is by adding in a patch that can be worn on race day if their team receives enough donations.
“There’s this patch competition amongst the bike teams, so kind of to add in like a friendly competition other than them trying to win Little 500. In order to earn the patch, each team, for every registered rider, needs three donations and then they can earn their patch and it says ‘I ride for Students helping Students,’” Manfredini said.
Additionally, another incentive formed this year around the idea of the “IU Jersey.” The team with the most donations in the year prior, is rewarded with either a candy stripe jersey or a solid red jersey that displays them as the highest donating team. This year, Phi Kappa Psi wore it for the men’s race and Theta Phi Alpha sported it in the women’s field.
“It means a lot to have our fraternity behind us and support us, obviously we couldn’t have done it without them. And it also feels good to kind of help the community,” Phi Kappa Psi and Riders Council member Kaleb Cooper said.
Phi Kappa Psi cyclist Kaleb Cooper talks about the honor of wearing the red IU jersey.
The efforts have already seen improvements from last year, and IUSF hopes to continue the progress for future races and events. Although the campaign closes for 2024 on April 21, the donations will have a continuous impact on campus.
