On April 24, 2015, students from the Bush School of Government and Public Service participated in the annual Aggie Relay For Life event held in College Station, Texas. Aggie Relay For Life is a student organization at Texas A&M that works directly with the American Cancer Society (ACS) office in Bryan, Texas. Money raised goes to support ACS cancer programs and cancer research in the Bryan/College Station area. Race teams participate in an all-night relay to raise awareness for and support for research for cancer.
The Bush School team collected over $3,735 in donations for the event, placing second only to the official Aggie Relay committee. Led by Bush students Shayan Enferadi and Rebecca Lesemann, team members originally set a goal of $2,000; but after a successful fundraising campaign that included a bake sale and talent show, they passed their original goal by more than $1,500.
“I believe the efforts put toward Relay For Life reflect our namesake’s claim that ‘public service is a noble calling’,” said second-year MPSA student Rebecca Lesemann. “It’s the end of the semester and everyone is extremely busy, but so many people were willing to go above and beyond with their efforts, time, and money to help such a great cause. That’s what being a student at the Bush School is all about, and I’m blown away by the support,” she added.
Relay For Life is the signature fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. In its nine years, Aggie Relay For Life has raised over one million dollars to help fight cancer. In 2015, eighty-six teams participated in the relay and collectively raised $62,555.
The Bush School is involved in many fundraisers and events for organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, BUILD, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and The Big Event.
