Since JMU’s motto is “Be the Change,” we are all supposed to remember and keep this nugget of information with us during our 4 (sometimes more) years here. But how many people truly take this to heart and make an effort to make a real difference? It can seem daunting, but certain Dukes have embodied this motto and begun making a noticeable impact on our campus.
Based on the principle from Catherine Hyde’s novel, and the film adapted from it (a great tearjerker,
by the way) starring Haley Joel Osmont, Helen Hunt, and Kevin Spacey, Pay it Forward at JMU, or PIF, is a positive movement “to spread random acts of kindness in our community.” Both their website and Facebook page emphasize empowering and challenging students to take up this movement and propel this mission forward.
The group was founded after a presentation of the PIF movement was given here at JMU. Carrie Martin, coordinator for UPB, and Matt Barone of the Office of Students and Activities pursued the idea. The student coordinators for Pay it Forward at JMU are Edward Bagsic, a freshman Mathematics major, and Caitlin Heinlin, a senior Psychology major. Through the hard work of the four coordinators, meetings are held on Tuesdays from 10 AM to 11 AM, and also from 7 PM to 8 PM in Taylor Hall; an additional committee, for those that can’t make weekly meetings, convenes every third Tuesday from 10 AM to 11 AM in Taylor Hall as well.
I got a chance to speak with Student Coordinator Caitlin Heinlin to learn a little bit more about the movement and how it really got its footing here at JMU. Caitlin summed up the movement beautifully by saying, “Pay It Forward is the kind of movement that blesses the person that does the good deed and blesses the person that receives it and the stories that come from this ideology are absolutely incredible.”
Pay it Forward is clearly the kind of movement that affects everyone and anyone can benefit from it, both by giving and receiving. The spirit of JMU seems to promote this incredible idea. Caitlin told me, “we are known for the random acts of kindness we perform and the sense of community that is so strongly felt, but we don’t have anything that exists solely to celebrate those two things”. Having spoken with her, I saw how easy it is to ‘pay it forward.’
You don’t even need to be an official member of this group; anyone can do it! Pay it Forward is so inclusive because, “this initiative is a way to highlight the wonderful things that people are doing on this campus and truly involve everyone.” Speaking with Caitlin really motivated me and showed me how beautiful this movement is. Helping someone you may know or even a total stranger opens you up to a feeling of positivity and community; why wouldn’t you want to do that?