Student-Stories, Service-Learning
A Little Laughter Goes a Long Way
November 18, 2025
Service-Learning Week at Concordia University Texas: Recap
The 19th annual Service-Learning and First-Gen Week took place during the first week of November at Concordia University Texas.
Every day, members of the Service-Learning Program and Gen1 club set up tables at the Meissner Overlook for two hours, handing out goodies and lighthearted jokes to passing students.
Service-Learning Table on the pier.
The theme this year was based on the common read, Man’s Search For Meaning. Writing about his experiences as a prisoner of a concentration camp during WWII, Viktor B. Frankl reflects on the ways humor helped him serve himself and his community, even in unthinkable circumstances.
Students listened to how Frankl’s insights can apply to their own everyday lives as college students at Concordia Texas.
How can students serve themselves and their society through humor?
At the “Brunch & Learn with Dr. Yndo,” students and faculty joined Dr. Monica Yndo to discuss the experience of being a first generation college student. As a first gen student herself, Dr. Yndo shared that laughing in community about her struggles was psychologically beneficial.
Because of her own journey, Dr. Yndo explained that she tries to support her students, especially those who are also first-gen. She recognizes that she can relate to their experience, and she strives to give them the support she once needed.
At the “Robert C. Greene Lecture,” students learned that humor can be a powerful source of resilience, healing, and care. The discussion highlighted how humor transcends cultures and can even serve as a means of survival.
Comparing Man’s Search for Meaning to African American humor, the lecture emphasized that joking about future freedom is an act of faith and belief. Like a “life-hack,” humor can help us get through incredibly difficult situations.
Humor is a source of service.
The simple act of showing up to greet students, spark conversations, and giving out trinkets, the members of the Service-Learning Program and Gen1 club were able to live out this mission of serving through humor.
Students who stopped by the tables to pick up encouraging stickers, candy, and jokes, were able to pause, laugh, and catch a breath amid their busy week of classes.
Next time you encounter someone going through a dark time, think of the simple ways that humor can lighten the burden. After all, when times are tough, a little laughter goes a long way.
About the Author
Abby Shaivitz is a first-year student at Concordia University Texas majoring in Psychology. She hopes to help children see the world as a place where they can thrive and grow. In addition to her studies, Abby works as a Digital Content Associate for the University’s Ultraviolet Student Agency. Driven by her passion for all things creative, she can often be found writing wherever inspiration strikes, sketching in her notebook during class, or playing piano in the campus music practice rooms.
