Students at Southwestern University are laying the groundwork for a new project they hope will help bring Southwestern and the Georgetown business community closer together.

The project is being called “The Big Event” and it is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 24. Southwestern students will spend this day working at local businesses that could use their help.

Student organizers hope that by making more businesses in town aware of Southwestern students, these businesses will create more internships and other long-term opportunities for them.

“This is a great opportunity for Georgetown businesses to experience, without a commitment, the excellence that Southwestern students can offer,” said David Boutté, a philosophy major who is coordinating the event. “I have no doubt that these two communities can benefit from each other, and this is a great beginning to that effort.”

The event is being sponsored by a new student organization on campus Boutté is organizing that is called SUSTAIN: Students for Sustaining Civic Engagement. Members of SUSTAIN hope to get at least 300 students to participate in the March 24 event.

“The Big Event” is modeled after a similar initiative at Texas A&M University.

For more information on The Big Event, or to sign up to participate, write thebigevent@southwestern.edu.