When Olivea Adams heard she’d kickstart her time at Taylor by serving somewhere in the Upland community as part of the 2026 Community Plunge event, she thought the idea sounded weird.
Adams, a freshman studying elementary education, wasn’t even sure what the event was.
“I was like, ‘What the heck’s a community plunge?’” she said. “When I heard ‘plunge,’ I was like, ‘Are we going in the lake?’”
On Aug. 31, about 680 Taylor students – mostly freshmen – participated in the university’s annual Community Plunge. Community Plunge students cleaned, installed sealant, took out trash, prepared fencing, gardened and helped in landscaping projects. They served places including Helping Hands, Red Barn, NearSpace, the Upland Depot, Jefferson Memorial Parks, Exit Church, Real Community Church, the Upland Lions Club, St. Martin’s Community Center, Taylor’s Residential Villages and the Kesler Student Activities Center (KSAC).
Caleb Kleinmann said the students served roughly 25 locations throughout Upland, Gas City and Marion. Kleinmann, the Campbell and Delta graduate assistant hall director, organized the event alongside Beverly Guffey, the administration assistant to student affairs.
Inspired by her roommate, Adams maintained a positive attitude during her morning shift. She adopted her roommate’s mantra: “Blessed are the flexible.”
Despite heat, rain, sweat and being regrouped with a team of strangers, Adams said the Community Plunge brought laughter, new relationships and fun. She doesn’t regret the hours spent applying sealant to wooden tables, taking out trash or cleaning up a cluttered lawn in one of Upland’s parks.
Because Adams’ group was willing to adopt a positive, flexible attitude, the initial awkward silence quickly shifted to chatting and joking.
When serving, Adams said, thinking beyond personal inconvenience and focusing on those being served is key. She said Taylor’s willingness to embrace this mindset cultivates a unique excitement to help.
Skip Trudeau, vice president for student development and intercollegiate athletics, said Taylor hopes the Community Plunge cultivates a symbiotic relationship between the university and Upland.
“We’re here also to serve as well as learn,” Trudeau said.
Kleinmann said Taylor students demonstrated a remarkable willingness to serve their local community. They even finished their work early in some cases.
Afterwards, many community members expressed gratitude or emailed him, thanking him for the students’ service.
“They love the effort and just the intentionality that the students bring,” he said. “I think our students work really, really hard.”
