Zags Kick Off Inauguration Week by Giving Back

A Gonzaga volunteer smiles while handing a stuffed toy to a senior community member during a service event, creating a joyful moment of connection.
Mariana Acfalle ('26) is a student leader in the Zag Volunteer Corps.
September 24, 2025
Thea Skokan ('22)

Gonzaga’s inauguration week for President Katia Passerini began in a truly “Zag” way with students, faculty and staff members taking part in a multitude of community service projects.

“I am in awe of all the volunteers who stepped up to make this day possible,” said Ellen Maccarone, vice president of mission integration, to the volunteers before they fanned out across Spokane. “This is a week full of celebrations and gatherings, but you being here today, dedicating your time and talents to serve others, that is emblematic of the entire Gonzaga community.”

The inauguration service event, organized by the Center for Community Engagement, served more than six sites across the city with more than 70 Gonzaga volunteers. The sites were focused north of campus as part of GU’s place-based initiative, Opportunity Northeast, which strategically focuses on improving outcomes for those in the area.

This included a visit to the O’Malley Apartments, a supportive housing complex for seniors, where volunteers served root beer floats (enthusiastically requested by residents) followed by some friendly rounds of bingo and trivia.

Gonzaga volunteers and community members share smiles and conversation during a service event, with one group serving drinks and another enjoying snacks and fellowship.

Mariana Acfalle (’26) is a student leader in the Zag Volunteer Corps, and while this was a special event happening in conjunction with the inauguration, she comes to O’Malley every Monday night.

“It’s literally the highlight of my week,” she said. “Everyone is so welcoming. They love to call us their kids, which we are kind of like their kids. I love hearing their stories and even their problems. I just fell in love with the whole experience.”

That sentiment couldn’t be more apparent as Acfalle walked into the communal room, met with excited “hellos” and hugs from every resident. She’s not just well-known, she’s beloved.

The other inauguration community-service sites included Family Promise, Maplewood Gardens Retirement Home, Mission Community Outreach, Second Harvest, a clean-up of the Logan neighborhood and volunteer chore service through Catholic Charities.

A fitting start to a transformative week in the University’s history, helping set the tone for the next presidency.

“For 138 years, Gonzaga has shown the world what it means to serve with mission in mind,” Maccarone said. “We're a community of leaders called to go out into the world and serve the common good, to do better in the world, to be agents of change, to disrupt the norm and not settle for injustice and inequity.”
Join the Zag Volunteer Corps and serve alongside fellow Zags each week.
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