The University of Mississippi Kindness Club works to promote generosity and kindness across campus and the Oxford community. The club, founded in April 2023, has grown in the last three years, expanding to help the student community through study break events.
The club’s president, Mallory Birckbichler, a senior special education major from Mahomet, Ill., joined the club during her freshman year in 2024.
“I wanted to join (the) Kindness Club because I decided (it was) a fun way to just meet people and give back to the campus and Oxford community,” Birckbichler said.
While the club initially offered Birckbichler an opportunity to meet new people, she soon saw a chance to expand its reach. After joining the executive board as a junior, she prioritized introducing the club to students beyond the School of Education.
“I wanted to be able to help the club grow more when it comes to branching out past the School of Education — that’s where we’re based — and be able to get our name out there more in a positive way,” Birckbichler said.
With 50 active members, the Kindness Club has a flexible approach to involvement. Rather than requiring weekly meetings, the organization gives students opportunities to participate in acts of kindness through regular volunteer events and activities.
“We send out different things (in the Flare messaging app) that we’re doing and ask for people in the club to volunteer,” Birckbichler said.
Beyond providing opportunities for students to volunteer, the club aims to make kindness a regular part of the Ole Miss campus through small, meaningful gestures, like hosting tables where students can make their own friendship bracelets at the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union.
“I think our main goal is just to bring a smile to people’s faces,” Birckbichler said. “We focus on … smaller acts of kindness.”
To execute their mission, the club organizes a variety of events that allow members to give back, connect with others and share their interests. The club has also hosted fundraisers to raise money for more events.
“We’ve done a makers market where we had people donate different items, and we just fundraised through that,” Birckbichler said. “We’ve done lunch-and-learn (events) where we’ve had some really amazing guest speakers come in, like Cecelia Mosely (creator of the statue outside Guyton Hall).”
Through these events, the club has created opportunities for students to connect with one another while extending its mission beyond campus.
“We do a lot of really fun stuff and try to create a powerful impact when it comes to Ole Miss and (the) Oxford community,” Birckbichler said.
For other members, the club’s mission offers a way to put their personal values into practice. Social media chair Mary Brauer White, a senior special education major from Naples, Fla., joined the Kindness Club because it aligned with her personal values and career aspirations.
“Kindness is a big thing in my life, especially as a special (education) major,” White said. “When I heard about all the stuff that the club did and what it really stands for, that’s when I was like, ‘Oh, I really want to be a part of something like that, and I think I could help take it a long way.”’
The club has expanded. As more members join, more possibilities open up.
“Our club has grown so much, just in the past semester. … People just seem so much more involved, and I’ve connected with so many people … because of it, and even outside of (the School of Education),” White said.
To join the Kindness Club, students can simply join the Flare group chat. The club does not host formal meetings but announces events and involvement opportunities for members.
“Anyone who wants to join gets accepted into our club, because everyone is capable of being kind,” Birckbichler said.
