Serve901

Yes, Memphis really does have ducks swimming in a downtown hotel lobby every day from 11am–5pm. 🦆

It’s quirky. It’s iconic. It’s Memphis.

If you’ve got a free afternoon, make your way to The Peabody Hotel. Arrive 30 minutes early, plan for downtown parking, and enjoy one of the city’s most beloved traditions. Don’t forget to head up to the rooftop afterward—the views are worth it, especially at sunset.

But while you’re taking in the ducks and the skyline, take a moment to notice something else: the people who make this city work. The hotel staff, the servers, the nonprofit leaders, the neighborhood organizers, and the countless Memphians serving their communities every day.

A free day in Memphis isn’t just about seeing the sights. It’s about learning the story of a place and appreciating the people who help write it.

📍The Peabody Hotel
🦆 Duck March daily
🌇 Rooftop views at sunset
❤️ A city full of people worth learning from

Back in March, Jeff was pulling into the Crosstown Concourse garage looking for a parking spot when he noticed a young woman walking out wearing a Serve901 t-shirt from a design we haven't used in years.

He stopped to say hello.

As it turned out, she was leaving and he was able to claim her parking spot. But before she drove off, they got to talking.

She shared that she had come to Memphis with Illinois State a few years ago. Then came the surprise: she's now an MTR Resident serving students in Memphis classrooms. And the first time she heard about Memphis Teacher Residency was at a Serve901 info session during her trip.

We had no idea.

Moments like this remind us why we do what we do. Every year, students come to Memphis to engage, serve, and learn. Most return home after a few days. But every now and then, someone discovers a calling, a city, and a community they can't quite shake.

Years later, they're still here—investing their lives in Memphis.

Sometimes all it takes is a chance encounter in a parking garage to be reminded that the story doesn't end when the trip is over.

📍🎷

“Say Less” — presented to Chaynj from RIT.

Because a photo dump with Memphis blues in the background somehow captured an entire alternative break experience better than words could.

Serve. Learn. Explore. Repeat.

Still thinking about Memphis? Katie is—and she didn’t miss a moment.

This Start to Finish superlative goes to Katie from Iowa State, who fully leaned into every part of the week. Her post walks through it all—the serving, the learning, the exploring, the in-between moments—and you can tell… she ate it up.

From start to finish, this trip didn’t just fill a schedule—it sparked something. The kind of experience that leaves you energized, reflective, and ready to engage the world a little differently.

That’s the goal. Not just a week in Memphis—but a shift that sticks.

If this video had a theme song, it’d 100% be playing on ABC’s TGIF 🎬✨ (where you at Miller-Boyett - we need a jingle that's a banger!!!)

Superlative shoutout to Nikki — the group leader you wanted leading your week. The vibes? Immaculate. The energy? Contagious. The leadership? Let’s just say… other groups were taking notes (literally — one student came over just to hype her up 🙌).

Nikki had that rare balance: creating space for her group to choose their fun (within reason 😅) while still leading with intention and care. And somehow she captured it all in a video that feels like a 90s sitcom intro we didn’t know we needed.

At Serve901, it’s never just about the work — it’s about the people you become and the community you build along the way. Nikki embodied that fully, helping her group engage, serve, and enjoy Memphis in a way that sticks long after the trip ends.

Here’s to leadership that brings people together, creates joy, and leaves a lasting impact 🎉

Drop a 👏 for Nikki in the comments!

the “bestest ppl” 🫶

there’s something special that happens when a group shows up ready to serve, learn, and lean into a new city together. somewhere between early mornings, shared meals, and long days in Memphis… strangers start to feel like family.

we loved hosting Vienna + the Stony Brook crew and getting to witness the kind of community that forms when you choose to be present with each other and the people around you. that’s what these trips are all about.

our hope? that this doesn’t stop when you leave the 901. that you keep seeking out spaces where you can know people deeply, serve intentionally, and build community wherever life takes you next. because the need for that kind of connection doesn’t end after college—it’s just getting started.

Memphis was better with y’all in it ❤️

This superlative goes to Tatum, who really leaned in while serving with food pantries across Memphis. Whether it was stocking shelves or out on the farm, you could tell—this was Tatum’s rhythm. The farm work especially felt like home, even in a completely new place.

Sometimes it’s not about stepping into something unfamiliar… it’s about bringing what you already know and using it to care for others.

That’s what makes it meaningful—new context, same calling.

Some things you hear on Night 1 don’t stay in the room.

“Be dangerously unselfish.”

Dexter gave that charge at Bluff City Beginnings—not just as a phrase, but as a framework for how to see Memphis… and how to live.

This post was a powerful reminder of that. Reflecting on the beauty and the brokenness of the city—and naming how it will stick with her long after the trip—that’s what it looks like when the message lands.

Not just something you heard. Something that sticks with you!