Since its establishment in 2012, Community Service Initiative (C.S.I. Volunteers) has become a name many Taylorians know due to their activities. On 24 November 2017, C.S.I. Volunteers held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) and appreciation night to celebrate the 2016/2017 team, and to pass the baton on to the new team. C.S.I. Volunteers’s club advisor, Nurul Hamizah Mohamad started the event by expressing her pride for the team of 2016/2017, saying that they inspired her with the passion and commitment they had for their work. “It’s about touching people’s hearts,” she said, summing up what C.S.I. Volunteers revolved around.

This year, C.S.I. Volunteers won Best Fundraiser and Best Student Organisation during the Student Development Recognition Ceremony 2017. Here are five events that you might not have known were organised by them!

1. Lumière ‘17

Children from a home performing during Lumière ‘17, assisted by a C.S.I. Volunteer. Photo credits to C.S.I. Volunteers and Taylor’s University Photography Club.

Lumière ‘17 is the largest series of events that C.S.I. Volunteers has ever pulled off, to raise funds for a number of charities supporting the differently abled. Through their effort and collaboration with other organisations, this student body raised a total of RM 24,000 for these charities, such as the Selangor Family Aid Association.

2. Energy-saving Elevator

C.S.I. Volunteers initiated a project where certain elevators in Block C and Block D only stop on alternate floors. This reduces the number of times the elevator has to stop, thus saving energy and making a small step towards being an environmentally-friendly university.

3. Rilek-Lah & Project Smile

C.S.I. Volunteers giving out Sparkling Ribena to Taylor’s staff for Project Smile. Photo credits to C.S.I. Volunteers and Taylor’s University Photography Club.

These two projects were carried out by C.S.I. Volunteers to motivate Taylorians and bring a smile to their faces. Nearing the end of the semester, C.S.I. Volunteers went around campus giving out free drinks and motivational quotes, hoping to make students and lecturers feel better during the stress over their examination and work.
4. Collections for Homes
C.S.I. Volunteers worked with Grace Community Services to collect dry food and clothes for their various homes through the GRACE Campaign and the Full Tummy Project. C.S.I. Volunteers then sorted these donations and handed them over to Grace Community Services. They also sent volunteers to the Rainbow of Life Forces (ROFL) donation drives.

5. Visit to Homes

Besides collecting donations for homes, C.S.I. Volunteers also paid visits to the people in these homes to brighten up their day and interact with them. The President of the 2016/2017 term, Marcus Liow said during his final speech as president, “We believe community service comes from the heart.” The team understood that just contributing food and clothes was but a small part of community service. For the recipients, getting the chance to meet the people who did this for them and interact with humans other than those in the homes was just as important.


The communities that C.S.I. Volunteers serves are not limited to communities that we so often view as in dire need of help. They look around right where they are, seeing a need no matter how small, working towards making another person’s day better.

During the appreciation night, the Board of Directors (BOD) of 2016/2017 officially stepped down and passed the student body to the new BOD along with some gifts and advices. A participant in the appreciation night, Lee Ming Jun from School of Communication said, “The event became more than just a transition of power, but a heartfelt connection between these members who have worked hard to provide for those less fortunate.”

Nur Amirah Rasyiqah, the Assistant Director of Marketing & External Relations from term 2016/2017 said, “As we were on stage passing the role to the next BOD, I felt sad as that means that we’re officially done with our term, and we know that we’re not going to see each other as often anymore. After more than a year with the BOD, they’re not just my co-workers anymore. They are my family.”

Amidst the joy and bittersweet feelings, many expressed their hope and excitement for the new BOD.

The new Board of Directors making a pledge to serve their community. Photo credits to C.S.I. Volunteers and Taylor’s University Photography Club.

Charmaine Au, Artist Manager for Lumière ‘17, said, “Lumière ‘17 with three events was really impressive, and I can’t wait to see if they can top that in the coming year.”

C.S.I. Volunteers’s new President for the 2017/2018 term, Wong Zhi Zheng Shirlyn, shared that her team is the smallest compared to previous terms, and they would have to work hard to balance their studies and C.S.I. Volunteers. However, she looks forward to the new term, and said, “I believe my team can achieve success as long as they set their priorities right and have the same mindset together.” So far, her team has carried out market research to find out what C.S.I. Volunteers and Taylorians are interested in, and she hopes that more Taylorians will be involved with C.S.I. Volunteers next year.

Ms. Nur Hamizah launching the One Stop Centre with the new Board of Directors. Photo credits to C.S.I. Volunteers and Taylor’s University Photography Club.

At the end of the appreciation night, C.S.I. Volunteers’s new Board of Directors launched their One Stop Centre at the C.S.I. Volunteers room in the Student Life Centre (SLC). This centre is for interested parties to enquire about volunteering or collaborating with C.S.I. Volunteers, and people can also drop off donations in the form of money or goods at this One Stop Centre.

To get updates on what this new BOD has in store, like their Facebook page Taylor’s University C.S.I Volunteers.