Hannah Weisenberger, a recent graduate of Mississippi State University, lent a hand to the community during her time in Starkville.
A Clinton native, born and raised, Weisenberger attended MSU as an engineering major. Between the hectic life of classes, work, and homework, Weisenberger did her best to reach out to the community and help. She did this through her church, Saint Joseph on University Drive, and through the catholic student association.
Weisenberger was coordinator of students with the Catholic Campus Ministry for a time while she attended MSU.
"For a year I was the service coordinator for the Catholic Student Association, so we tried to do a service project every month," Weisenberger said. "We did some stuff for the actual church. We did some painting for the commissioners. We did the deep cleaning of the kitchen one saturday, something that needed to be done and they needed some help with. "
The CSA pushed outside the limits of the church, Weisenberger said, but they also strived to get out into the community and help the people of Starkville.
"One month, we cooked lunch for the fire station down the road on University Drive, for a thank you for what all they do," Weisenberger said. "We helped out with St. Joseph's food pantry. They do a food pantry twice a month two Saturdays a month, where people can come and pick up supplies for their families who don't have enough."
The group would visit local assisted care facilities and nursing homes to sit and converse with residents who lived there.
"We went to a couple of different homes, but one time it happened to be Bingo night, so we played Bingo with them," Weisenberger said. "One of the guys had a guitar, so we sang with them and just hung out. They really appreciate that, so I love doing it."
The year after she was service coordinator, Weisenberger was the president of the Catholic Student Association. "I wasn't so much in charge as when I was service coordinator. I mostly oversaw everything," Weisenberger said. "We had a lot of different, really cool activities going on that I would help with."
Weisenberger would help with the high school youth group. She juggled school, working a the Sanderson Center, church, and volunteered as much as she could in her free time.
"One time, for the the kids that were being confirmed in our diocese, we hosted a retreat for them for one weekend in preparation of their confirmation," Weisenberger said. "That was pretty cool."
The retreat they hosted for the kids was a three day weekend at Lake Tiak O'khata, near Louisville.
Weisenberger recently graduated from MSU with a Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering, and has been hired by Smith Seckman Reid, Inc., an engineering consultant firm in Memphis which she interned with during her time at State.
Weisenberger admitted that she had a lot on her plate, but she laughed, and said, "It got a little crazy, but it was fun."I'm not sure if the last paragraph is okay. I didn't know how to word it. I'm sorry for messaging you so much on the weekend. I hope it's been less dreary up there than it is down here."