Before she was helping lead one of LSU’s largest service events, junior Paris Ally was volunteering in senior living homes, sitting with residents and calling bingo.
“It wasn’t anything big, but you could tell how much the simple things meant to them,” she said.
Now as student director of volunteer at LSU, Ally wants other people to experience that same joy of helping others through Geaux Big Baton Rouge, a weeklong service initiative connecting hundreds of students with volunteer opportunities through Saturday.
From packing meals to making dog toys and cleaning up campus spaces, students are given over 150 opportunities across Baton Rouge to give back to the community. The week ends with a block party filled with food, inflatables and music, and it is open for anyone who volunteered as a way to celebrate the work accomplished.
Originally founded in 2013 as a one-day event, Geaux Big expanded into a weeklong event in 2025 under Brianna McManus, assistant director for student leadership and civic engagement, to create more opportunities and accommodate more participants. In the second year operating on this scale, the coordinator said success is measured by the impact it has on people, not just the numbers.
Leadership and Civic Engagement Coordinator for Campus Life, Ifágbémisọ́lá Bámigbálà-Arẹ̀sà said the program continues to grow in the number of events, student leadership roles and partnerships. She said college is a time for students to develop as whole individuals, and volunteering is one of the best ways to do that.
“If you go to college and the only thing you leave with is a degree, you did yourself a disservice,” she said.
Bámigbálà-Arẹ̀sà also said that partnerships stem from personal desires and campus necessities. Geaux Big’s partnership with the food pantry formed because it is under Campus Life, and its mission of tackling food insecurity resonates deeply with students. Another student desire to have a cleaner and more visually appealing campus led to more cleanups. Organizers try to provide as many diverse experiences to appeal to a wide range of students as possible.
“[Organizations] love working with LSU volunteers because they say they’re ready to work,” Bámigbálà-Arẹ̀sà said.
Beyond the impact, junior finance student Sydnee Ragas said the personal fulfillment and emotional affect makes the event special. This is Ragas’ first year assisting in the planning of Geaux Big, but in previous years she’s volunteered and worked as a site coordinator.
“This experience has opened my eyes to more of the Baton Rouge community than I had known before,” she said.
As a New Orleans native, Ragas enjoys learning about different philanthropic organizations and businesses she wouldn’t have known otherwise.
In the future, Ragas hopes Geaux Big can expand beyond LSU and continue to grow across Louisiana and other schools. Ally said she hopes the event expands to more partnerships within campus like athletics and other organizations.
“Expanding to everyone who needs help would be great,” Ally said.
This year, Ally is especially excited for the Zippity Zoo event at the Baton Rouge Zoo on Saturday, since volunteers requested more animal events. Volunteers will assist in the celebration of the zoo’s 56th birthday.
All volunteer shifts are posted on TigerLink and are color coordinated by day. With a variety of events throughout the day, students can come in between classes or if they have free time after.
