Each year, the GW community continues Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service by engaging with communities across Washington, D.C. during its MLK Day of Service. Dr. King’s belief in the power of service is reflected in the Clark Scholars Program at GW, which connects engineering students to experiences that emphasize academic excellence, leadership, and community service.
As part of this year’s day of service, nine Clark Scholars supported fire prevention in Southeast D.C. with DC Fire and EMS. Alongside the DC Fire Prevention team, they performed fire safety checks and shared fire safety information across the area.
For each check, the scholars split into small groups with DC Fire and EMS personnel to go around the neighborhood and talk to residents about fire safety. They inquired when residents last checked their fire alarms, how many fire alarms they had, and, if requested, entered the residences to check the alarms and ensure they were working correctly. These visits offered the scholars insight into the role of technical solutions, such as alarms, in fire safety practices.
“As engineering students, it was valuable to see how creating effective solutions requires an understanding of broader systems. The experience reinforced the importance of designing solutions that are both impactful and realistic,” said Luca Caruso, a Clark Scholar and Dean’s Fellow at GW Engineering.
As Clark Scholars, this was also an opportunity for the students to strengthen their service values. By engaging directly with individuals, they were able to practice leadership through service and make a positive impact on their surrounding community.
“This work reflects the program’s core values by encouraging us to use our engineering mindsets to serve others, understand real community needs, and create meaningful, people-centered impact,” Caruso concluded.