NORWICH – The four pink pigs on the conference room window at the Norwich Campus of Morrisville State College served a special purpose.

Students from each major were represented in the photograph. From left to right: Mallory Johnson, Early Childhood; Marsha Cornelius, Interim Director Norwich Campus; Christine Seibel, Nursing; Jason Burcroff, Criminal Justice; Robin Tillotson, Nursing; Nick Pacio (Student Government President), Nursing; Ed Wright, Human Services; Sherry Backman, Early Childhood; Royx Newby, Early Childhood; and Jessica Burcroff, Criminal Justice.

The colorful paper cutouts were used to track the number of non-perishable food items collected by students in a campus-wide food drive held from Nov. 3-19. Each of the four pigs represented a major offered at the college. Each student within the major challenged each other to amass the most nonperishable items. Vying for the top spot are criminal justice, human services, early childhood and nursing programs, according to Dr. Fred Weaver, assistant professor and coordinator of the human services program at the Norwich Campus who also spearheaded the event. “This was a wonderful opportunity for our students to work together to meet the needs of the community,” according to Marsha Cornelius, Interim Director.

The goal was to fill a 26-by-14-foot conference room, dubbed the fish bowl, with nonperishable items which were donated to Roots and Wings, an organization that helps the needy in the local Norwich community. Even though the goal to fill the fish bowl was not met, students in the four majors managed to collect a total of 3,371 non-perishable food items, as well as over $730 in cash donations.