MCPHERSON, KS – The office of Spiritual Life and Service at McPherson College will host Dude. Be Nice throughout the month of April. Dude. Be Nice is a nationwide campaign to promote kindness in schools and communities.
Each week will have a different theme relating to kindness. The focuses will be on random acts of kindness, service and community-building, and gratitude. The final week will be Dude. Be Nice finale week, where different campus groups will spend the week thanking others.
Programming during the month will include pairing with local law enforcement for ice cream and an Easter egg hunt, hosting a campus-wide service day, and encouraging students to attend campus events. The campus will also use the hashtag #bulldogsbeingnice on social media to spread awareness about Dude. Be Nice.
This campaign was started by apparel company Dude. Be Nice. In addition to selling clothes, the owners wanted to create more accepting and kind communities. To do this, they offer free materials on their website offering suggestions for how create a Dude. Be Nice campaign in schools and on college campuses.
The Dude. Be Nice website states, “We’re committed to creating cool clothes and doing our part to show people, not matter who they are or where they came from, that they matter. Kindness, inclusiveness, and gratitude will always be at the core of our culture.”
The office of Spiritual Life and Service is hosting this month because a unifying quality of all the major religions is to treat people the way you want to be treated. Jen Jensen, Director of Spiritual Life and Service, says “translating this into today’s terms, this philosophy would be Dude. Be Nice.”