University of Houston's Division of Student Affairs Participates in the 2024 March for Babies Campaign

DSA News
June 25, 2024

The University of Houston's (UH) Division of Student Affairs (DSA) took part in the March for Babies campaign, running from March 5, 2024, through May 31, 2024. This annual event, organized by the March of Dimes, aims to support maternal and infant health. The DSA set an ambitious fundraising target of $3,000 and came remarkably close to meeting it, raising $2,776.

The DSA's team was led by a dedicated group of leaders: Kyle Mutz, the director of the Justin Dart, Jr. Student Accessibility Center; Cynthia Olmedo, assistant director of career services University Career Services; and Sam Nguyen, manager of college/division DSA information services. These team leaders spearheaded the campaign with innovative and community-focused strategies to reach their fundraising goals. “After becoming involved with WalkAmerica in 2003, I became a team captain for Student Centers and have represented Students Life since then. It has been exciting and fulfilling to participate every year from WalkAmerica to Walk for Babies and now assist in leading the Division of Student Affairs team,” stated Nguyen.

One of the main strategies was to engage family members and friends to join the walk, encouraging each participant to raise at least $30 to cover the costs of their t-shirt, breakfast, and lunch. Social media played a significant role, with team members posting on Facebook to solicit donations. Additionally, they reached out to companies for contributions, leveraging personal connections to boost their fundraising efforts.

A standout fundraising activity this year was selling chocolates, which proved to be highly successful. Team members brought chocolates to church and asked friends and family members to purchase boxes for their offices. These efforts were primarily conducted off-campus and outside of working hours, ensuring that they did not interfere with professional responsibilities.

Kyle Mutz highlighted the community impact of the March for Babies campaign, stating, "I love being part of something that has such a huge community impact in supporting families. One of the greatest parts of this year's events was that it was truly a team effort at the University of Houston. The community, students, faculty, and staff all made the event very special."

Despite the DSA not reaching its $3,000 goal, its contribution was a significant part of the larger UH community's efforts. The university aimed to raise $30,000 but managed to gather $21,190, showing a strong collective effort towards supporting health equality across diverse communities. The DSA raised the most funds out of all the UH teams this year, and we are proud of this. We are thankful for everyone who donated and participated in the walk.

The March for Babies event is crucial for promoting health equity, and the participation of the UH community highlighted the university's commitment to this cause. The campaign brought together various groups within UH, creating a unified effort to support families and celebrate community spirit. Mutz added, "I loved meeting and seeing so many families coming together no matter the weather to support each other."

Overall, the DSA's involvement in the March for Babies campaign exemplifies the division’s dedication to community engagement and support for important health initiatives.

Written by Germaine Washington, Director of Marketing and Communications – Student Affairs.