Recently, a professor asked our seminar if we thought the degree of student activism had increased or decreased in recent years. One student answered that due to innovations in technology and social media what appears to be activism is actually "slacktivism," or a perceived level of activism among young people that does not really exist. Thanks to tools such as Facebook, Instagram, and the notorious hashtag, people can create the image that they are actively engaged in service events. But are they?

Greek organizations are founded on philanthropic ideas and every chapter has a national philanthropy with required service hours and events. Yet, ironically Greek students are constantly accused of slacktivism. Many criticize that Greek students are not enough involved in their chapter events or that they only participate to later post a picture on Instagram with the event hashtag to make themselves appear philanthropic. This criticism is not limited to Greek students, but applies to college students overall.

Why is there such criticism towards collegiate activism? Why are America's youth accused of ulterior motives when it comes to their decisions to be involved in collegiate service events? Quite frankly, the opposite is true. Students do no go to college and join organizations to appear philanthropic. Rather, universities and their organizations introduce students to participation in service events in ways they never thought of. Freshman come to college wanting to get involved and to find their place, but they leave with so much more. They graduate having been a part of something so much bigger than them -- an opportunity only possible through university organizations.

College provides the ideal opportunity for large scale service events such as Relay for Life and Dance Marathons. Only in college can you find 20,000 plus students willing to donate an entire day or even a few hours to hanging out with their friends and raising money for a great cause. Yes of course these events happen outside the collegiate sphere, but there is such a sense of unity and motivation being together on one campus that makes such mobilization so much easier.

Phi Mu chapter at JMU after its second dance marathon, MadiTHON having raised $130,000 in less than two years for Children's Miracle Network Hospital. 

There is a unique sense of solidarity amongst college students. Despite the fact that we rely solely on coffee to get us through the day, we procrastinate, and are guilty of poor study habits, we have a strong ability to come together quickly and get stuff done. We are young, creative, energetic. We form committees and organize events for causes we believe in, opening up opportunities for other students to share in these causes. Soon, a small scale event becomes a campus- wide tradition. Collegiate philanthropy events range in size and scope. Some are sporting events, others involve eating copious amounts of yummy foods. Despite the details, these organizations allow students to raise money and support for a greater cause, while having fun at the same time.

Even in times of pain, college students put everything else aside and come together in support of one another. In 2011, a JMU student was hit by a bus and killed. Within minutes, candlelight vigils were being held at JMU in her memory, as well as on campuses all around the state. When Hannah Graham went missing in the fall of 2014, it did not affect only the University of Virginia, but all the universities of Virginia. There is a unanimous understanding that when one of us suffers, we all suffer.

Every year on April 16, football and basketball rivalries are set aside because even eight years later on April 16 we are all Hokies. What happened to all these students could have happened to any of us, because as college students we are part of a unique microcosm that allows us to understand each other and be there for each other. It is this strong sense of solidarity among our fellow university students that allows us to understand charity and philanthropy. Protected by our campuses we are independent of the real world, but that does not allow us from affecting it.

JMU's slogan is "Be the Change," a motto its students take to heart. Students all over campus are engaged in service opportunities through their organizations. Whether it be Greek or not, these organizations introduce the students to participating in events bigger than them, to participate in events that allow them, in the words of Gandhi, to be the change they wish to see in the world. Without Phi Mu students might never have a connection to Children's Miracle Network Hospital, or without InterVarsity, students might not be aware of the water crisis worldwide. Students without family members in the military might not be able to help wounded warriors were it not for Theta Chi camping out on the commons. It is these organizations that open our eyes to reality and shape us to be world changers.

Many people also argue that students are blindly raising money for a cause they do not understand. This certainly untrue of Virginia service events, where many students get to see firsthand the fruits of their labor. At JMU's second ever dance marathon, MadiTHON, Phi Mu's and dancers were able to meet patients from the local CMN Hospital. ADPi's are able to volunteer and meet families at the local Ronald McDonald House. Students are able to participate in Big Brothers, Big Sister's and Relay for Life always touches close to home as many students lives' are impacts by someone fighting cancer. It is events like these that allow students to develop as worldly philanthropists. To know that their dancing, or bowling, or sleeping in a tent for twenty-four hours is going to a living and breathing cause makes the event so much more real.

Entering college, most students have little experience or understanding of philanthropy events. However, upon graduating those same students often have completely different understandings of service and charity. The passion and skills students develop for service are then incorporated into the world through our professional experiences. Without sororities or fraternities, or student government association, or other organizations collegiate students would not have the opportunity to be involved or lead such large scale service events.

So what if, at first, students participate only to show face or to make themselves feel good. What are originally egocentric motivations become moved by a desire to change the world. The word philanthropy comes from the Greek words "philos" meaning love and "anthros" meaning humanity. To be philanthropic is more than checking service hours off the to-do list. To be philanthropic is to love all of humanity which is a lifelong commitment. Loving humanit, is not just for four years, it's for life.

Peace, love, philanthropy.