An Ohio State student organization found a way to brighten the lives of OSU Medical Center patients.

Students in the John Glenn Civic Leadership Council came together for the program, “Everybody Needs Some Lovin’.” The goal of the program was to make Valentine’s Day cards and donate them to the medical center.

“The … project was an opportunity for students to unleash a more artistic side and get crafty by making Valentine’s cards. Armed with glitter, markers, scissors and construction paper, students made cards,” said Leticia Wiggins, vice president of service for the John Glenn Civic Leadership Council. “To hopefully brighten the lives of patients and residents within the hospital. This was what we hoped to be service through smiles.”

Wiggins said that everyone put their own unique touches on the cards.

“There were cut-out hearts aplenty, and some even put the extra effort into trying to draw a real heart, with an aorta, pulmonary valves and all,” Wiggins said.

After completing the cards, the students gave them to Sydni Howard, program manager of volunteer services at the OSU Medical Center, to get to the patients most in need.

“These cards were simply supposed to help patients know that they are cared for and thought about during this time of the year,” Wiggins said.

The John Glenn Civic Leadership Council is the undergraduate student organization associated with the John Glenn School of Public Affairs. The council is built on the pillars of service, membership, academics and policy — the four pillars of Page Hall.

“In addressing problems, which are of interest to us as students, we don’t just sit and conjecture what should be done. Rather, we find a valid source to enlighten us further on the topic and then find real ways in which we can help as students,” Wiggins said.

“We focus on four policy topics each year. This year they are health care, education, equality and international conflict,” said Leah
Batstone, president of the John Glenn Civic Leadership Council.

The council also participates in quarterly presentations on politics in addition to service trips to help people in other communities. This year the service trip was to Chicago, where they participated in the MLK day of service.

The “Everybody Needs Some Lovin'” program is a yearly event. Wiggins said that with more advertising, she hopes this program will continue to grow.

The Civic Leadership Council is open to undergraduate students of all majors and ranks. The application for membership can be found on the Glenn School Web site.

“Although we do have an application process, at the moment we do not have a limit on the number of members that we will take,” Batstone said.