Proceeds from the event supported Hope Endeavors, a 501(c)3 non-profit, which supports children suffering from extreme poverty.

“The goal of Hope Project is to mobilize and encourage students to make a difference by providing them with different volunteer opportunities in our own community and abroad,” Hope Project co-president Mackenzie Robson said.

The Hope Project has only been around since last year, but those involved have already made positive impacts.

Several students from the club went to Malawi, Africa, and lived in an HIV and Aids orphan care center while working in the surrounding village. One student was biology senior and Hope Project co-president Morgan McLane.

“While we were there, we saw the different needs that arose in this third-world country,” McLane said. “By experiencing the poverty, we were really inspired to take what we saw and the stories we had heard and bring it back to campus in a way that we could share with other people.”

History, philosophy and sociology of science freshman Jared Babcock came finished first in the race, passing the finish line after only 18 minutes and 47 seconds. The Hope Project 5K was Babcock’s first time winning a 5K race.

Babcock said he enjoyed the landmarks displayed throughout the race. Posters along the course illustrated facts and information about the Hope Project and Hope Endeavor’s causes.

“One of the landmarks said, ‘2K is how far this child has to walk to go to school’, and I thought about how that’s not something I usually think about, and we just sort of take it for granted that we don’t deal with those problems here,” Babcock said. “It’s really awesome how the Hope Project is working to alleviate that in other countries.”

Female race winner marketing freshman Sara Condra said she ran because she feels that the MSU Hope Project is an amazing organization that benefits so many people in a great way.

“Everyone should get involved, it’s a great cause,” Condra said. “It’s a great way for MSU students to make their small impact to a larger cause.”