After attending classes online freshman year, when she stepped foot onto IU’s campus her sophomore year as an international student, sophomore Amangul Hydyrova wasn't initially planning any volunteer work. But last November, while out at a sushi restaurant on Kirkwood with a friend, Hydyrova came across an unhoused man sitting by the door. It made her upset to think of him cold and alone.
"The first thought was 'what do I do? What do we do to help people successfully survive this winter?'" she said.
Hydyrova soon decided to do a coat drive. Before forming a strategy, she had questions: Where could she get boxes? How would she place them on campus? How would she get permission to do so?
Collecting coats for Beacon
She emailed various academic departments explaining her vision and promoted the drive through IU Corps. Hydyrova also contacted Beacon, Inc., a local organization that serves communities in need, which agreed to accept donations at its day shelter, Shalom Center. Beacon was short on winter clothing and glad to obtain more, Hydyrova said.
Although she'd never run a coat drive on a large scale before — just a small drive during high school — she said many people helped her with organizing. Administration in the chemistry and anthropology departments sent out emails to promote, as well as friends and IU Corps.
The event proved successful: by the end, students had donated approximately 10 bags of coats to give warmth to the unhoused community.
While the coat drive was her first volunteer experience at IU, Hydyrova has carried with her a passion for helping others throughout her lifetime and across continents.
Originally from Turkmenistan, she studied in Michigan as a high school exchange student from 2018 to 2019; there, she volunteered at a food pantry and fundraised to help an organization fighting human trafficking.
At just 16 years old, being in a new place with new experiences helped her mature, Hydyrova said. "I think the exchange years showed me what I'm capable of," she said. "It gave me confidence that I'm able to accomplish certain things."
Yoga for a cause
The success of the coat drive pushed Hydyrova to keep volunteer efforts at IU going. On April 15, she hosted a yoga event in Dunn Meadow from 10 to 11 a.m., where students could re-energize and alleviate stress. All proceeds from the event were donated to Middle Way House, a local shelter that provides services for survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, and human trafficking.
"I wanted to organize something really fun where students could come relax, and yoga is something that helps mental health," she said. "Being a student can be a little hectic, so I wanted to have this event where everyone can recharge and relax as well as raise awareness for certain causes, such as domestic violence and sexual assault."
Hydyrova is a member of the Wells Scholars Program, which is among the most competitive awards offered at IU. She deems the scholarship and her opportunity to get an education as one reason she wants to help her community.
"There are a lot of reasons I want to give back to the university," she said. "I'm really grateful for this place."
Her dedication to volunteering, she said, is partly because of her desire to give back to communities in return for the fulfilling experiences they give to her
"Even if it's just a small thing on a smaller scale, I've always had this idea that you need to add value to a place you get to," she said.
Summer clothing drive
Currently, Hydyrova is planning a clothing drive. She's aiming for an even wider reach this time around, involving more university departments as well as residential dorms and apartments. As people move out for the summer, she said, they can simply place any clothing they don't want into boxes in each residence hall.
She said she's working on building a how-to guide for organizing community drives and events. She hopes to have it finished by the time she graduates, after which others can add to it as needed.
"It can be amended, it can be improved by other people, too," she said. "I think that would be helpful."
If you would like to plan a service event, IU Corps can help. Reach out to us to chat about your ideas!