More than 450 first-year and transfer students filled the Mirenda Center on August 28 to pack thousands of meals for Kids Against Hunger.

They gathered at tables on the main gymnasium floor to mix, package, and seal nutritious meals of soy and rice for the non-profit humanitarian organization that provides food to impoverished children and families in 70 countries, including the U.S.

The Mission Day service is required for both commuters and residents who are new to campus. The activity is in keeping with the university’s Franciscan tradition, which emphasizes service to others.

Part of the university’s mission statement, in fact, is that “knowledge is a gift to be used in the service of others.”

The university’s class of 2030 hails from 12 states, including Alaska, California, North Carolina, and Washington.