“For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

“Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

“This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

“This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.”

— President Barack Obama’s inaugural presidential address, Jan. 20, 2009

This past weekend marked one of Iowa State’s great traditions: Dance Marathon. It’s one of the largest student-run fundraisers in the nation. It raised more than $171,000 for charity. And it’s a great example of how hard work and a little ingenuity can make a positive impact in others’ lives.

Philanthropy is wonderful in that it creates symbiotic relationships. Yes, you help people, but the experience, lessons and connections you make in the process are of equal worth, and sometimes even more, than the value you give.

Whether or not you agree with Obama’s politics, you can make a difference. Good works aren’t a partisan issue — they cross all boundaries. They’re universal, but you don’t have to go further than down the street. Campus and Ames have so many opportunities to get involved while attending to your education — programs such as Teach for America and the Peace Corps offer so many more.

Obama called for a new era of responsibility, and it’s our generation at hand to take that task. We believe that we will, and we encourage you to be part of it.