AUBURN, Ala. – Senior Meredith Sylvia of the Auburn gymnastics team was named to the Southeastern Conference Community Service Team, the league announced Friday.
Sylvia, of Macungie, Pa., has been a staple in the Auburn community since she arrived on the Plains in 2017.
Most recently, she has spent many hours dedicated to the Lee County Humane Society. With the restrictions that came from the COVID pandemic, Sylvia sought out other ways she could help the community and became a foster home for animals from the local shelter. To this day, she has fostered animals that needed homes and provided relief to over-flowing shelters in the area. Sylvia has cared for over 20 different animals since the pandemic started last spring.
Prior to the pandemic, Sylvia spent many hours with local elementary and middle school students. The aspiring middle school teacher worked with Our House, a non-profit that provides resources to underprivileged families, tutoring and mentoring middle school and elementary students by providing help with classwork. In addition, she encouraged positive behavior and excitement for learning.
Sylvia had also served the community on many occasions with her team as well as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. With the team, she has participated in the yearly Auburn Downtown Trick or Treat event, where athletes greeted fans and passed out candy to kids. Sylvia has also spent time with local elementary students, showcasing gymnastics skills and encouraging the importance of exercise. She has been involved in a handful of Habitat for Humanity service projects through Auburn SAAC. She volunteered in 2017 and then served as the coordinator of the service project in 2019.