Throughout the year, SMILE does a wide range of initiatives that engage with the student body and spread joy. Some initiatives take place annually, while others are individual events. Our organization is committee based, so the events are executed by respective committees. March is a big month for SMILE and is called March Gladness. We put on large events every week during this month and really encourage people on campus to get involved. Alongside the March Gladness activities, t-shirts are given out. Here are details about some of our events:
- Positivity Pumpkins: pumpkins are brought to Skiles walkway and set out with paint. Students can come by and paint a pumpkin with a phrase or image. It is amazing to see people’s artistic abilities. The pumpkins come together to create a pumpkin patch in the middle of campus during the fall semester.
- SMILE’s on Skiles: a series of events intended to provide a variety of short, meaningful experiences to Georgia Tech students. We create and organize a different SMILE's on Skiles event every few weeks, often in partnership with another student organization on campus. Previous SOS events have included creating sticky note boards for students to express what's stressing them out, writing down goals and folding them into paper cranes, giving out valentines to promote heart health, and more!
- Give Thanks: an appreciation effort for staff around campus. Messages of gratitude are gathered from students and put into posters and framed pictures. Flowers or treats are given with these to specific groups of staff, such as dining, bus drivers, and Stamps Health workers.
- Hearts for Campus: messages from students, alumni, and faculty were gathered that shared their favorite memories or experiences at Tech, encouraging messages for other members of the community, or something they are looking forward to. These were placed onto hearts and hung on trees all throughout campus. As students moved back to campus in the fall, they are able to walk around and read the hearts.
- Finals Encouragement Bags: finals season can be an extremely stressful time, so care packages are put together with treats and other items. After they are made, they get distributed to students as finals begin.