AED Member Spotlight | Yesmeena Shmaitelly - Loaves of Love
By: Ruth Zachariah
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
“My name is Yesmeena. I am a Junior Biochemistry Major with minors in Biology and Leadership Development. This year, I am honored to be the Loaves of Love chair in AED! Around campus, you might see me scrambling about Hallie Earle Hall, where I proudly serve as the President of Community Development and Programming. In the little free-time that many of us are left with, I enjoy cooking Lebanese food with my family and working on home-improvement projects.”
When did you decide you wanted to start Loaves of Love?
“I brought up the idea to the Earle Exec Council last year. We are nearing the end of our second semester going full throttle on this project, and I am so proud to see how far it has come!”
What inspired you to start Loaves of Love at Baylor University?
“I owe much of the credit to the IB students from my high school in Allen, TX. Every Friday afternoon, we would meet up (much like we do at Baylor) and make sandwiches! When I started my journey in university, I quickly realized that on-campus service opportunities were very limited. Using my platform at Earle and AED, I knew I could make a lasting impact with a recurring, convenient, and accessible volunteering opportunity.”
What has been the hardest part of setting up this service event?
“Communication. Communication. Communication. It was a challenge to realize that not everyone shared the same background that I had with Loaves of Love. There were numerous occasions where we fell short on donations. Being thorough in instructions and announcements was crucial to its success!”
What is your favorite part about making sandwiches?
“About 20 minutes into Loaves, I love looking around and watching everyone get into their groove with music, spirits, and friends all working together. Organizations from all over campus – BMSA, AED, MSO, Earle, Dawson, etc. – have joined us this year too! Loaves has easily been my proudest accomplishment at Baylor University, and I am eager to see the future it holds after my graduation.”
How often does this occur? How can students get involved?
“Loaves of Love is held every other Friday at 5PM in the Earle Classroom. Our final event of the semester will be an exclusive service featuring your favorite professors. Join us on December 2nd for ‘Serving with the Scientists!’”
What would be some advice you have for students that are interested in starting a service project?
“Use your platforms. Your orgs are your best friends. If you have an idea, reach out to those GroupMe’s. We are all here to support one another in our ambitions. Be patient and persistent – you can do it!”
*Photography credits go to the Earle Leadership Council!