The word good has connotations of wholeness and completeness — take Genesis 1:31, for example. Good can also demonstrate a sense of kindness, morality or that which commands respect. In fact, some estimates show more than 650 uses of the word good in the Bible. So, as an institution whose mission is to provide an “Education With a Christian Purpose,” it should come as no surprise that doing good is a core focus for people at Olivet Nazarene University.
Faculty and staff seek to provide good environments in which young adults can grow, learn and thrive; in return, students are encouraged to contribute in good ways as they impact their peers, families and the greater community. The hope is that thousands of Olivet alumni that go forth from Olivet will engage their spheres of influence to perpetuate a cycle of goodness.
Whether they choose to focus their work in the local area or on the other side of the world, Olivetians pour into other people with love and compassion. From coffee and intentional chats on campus to baking and breaking bread in local neighborhoods; from cultural sensitivity research to life-changing equine therapy; and from a friendly hello at local elementary school to outfitting refugee apartments on the other side of the world, here are just a few stories of change-agent individuals who work to bring more good to the people they interact with every day.
This past fall, the Olivet football team showed up well both on the field and in the community. Through a partnership with Kankakee School District 111, members of the team regularly provided a spirited welcome to elementary students at Edison Primary School, sharing high fives and enthusiastic words of encouragement with young children as they got off the bus and entered the school.
“It is important for ONU football to intertwine ourselves in the local area because of the lifelong connections that are made,” says head coach Avante Mitchell. “When those elementary students reach the age of understanding, we hope they remember the handshakes and hugs and want to pay it forward into the lives of others.”
One of the core themes for the ONU football program is to “Lead courageously,” and the coaching staff frequently encourages players as servant leaders. Integral to the team schedule are community service opportunities including reading to elementary students, loading up trucks of food at the Center of Hope and moving furniture for elderly community members who can benefit from some extra manpower. “These activities are not just photo ops,” coach Mitchell says. “Our mission is to honor Christ, and our primary goal for ONU football is to build character and integrity in young men. Whatever we can do to be a blessing to others — I know that’s what Jesus modeled for us to do.”
From Olivet The Magazine, The God Who Sees Us – Winter 2025. Read the full issue here.
