Those Who Have a Heart for Service

If students have a knack for enriching the lives of others through community service, SNC highly encourages them to embrace the resources that are available on campus. The Center for Community and Learning Service (CCLS) offers resources, ideas and opportunities for students seeking to promote the common good. Under the direction of Dan Robinson, the CCLS informs students of post-graduate volunteer services.

The CCLS hosted a post-graduate voluntary service panel and luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Students interested in pursuing volunteer work after graduation were warmly invited to the luncheon. There they heard SNC faculty and staff discuss their experiences of post-graduate volunteering.

The various stories told were highly affective and addressed key fundamentals of what volunteering is all about.

Dr. Tynisha Meidl, assistant professor of teacher education, talked about her experience as a summer intern for Teach for America, a non-profit organization that strives to eliminate educational inequality. Meidl shared her story of Jose, a student she taught in the classroom who had discipline problems outside of class. He was a fourth grader reading at a kindergarten level and also struggled with math.

Meidl reflected: "I know he had more potential and I had to be more intentional."

Meidl worked with Jose, who was placed in a special education program and became unhappy about that. Later, Meidl realized all he had to do was be read to. From then on, Meidl read math problems to Jose. That is how he passed and improved his math skills.

"I will never forget reading a math problem to Jose, and him saying 'let me read the next one to you,"' said Meidl.

Mr. Jeremy Doughty, study abroad advisor and an alum of SNC, spent 27 months in Kiev, Ukraine working for the Peace Corp. in 2005. He recommends applying right away if interested in joining the Peace Corp. because the application takes between nine months to a year to fill out.

Doughty also advised that if applicants put a specific country they would like to work in, it could hinder the chances of being accepted.

Doughty taught English while in Ukraine. He also learned Ukrainian, spending four to six hours a day learning the language.

Doughty stayed with a host family, which he expressed as a very nice experience.

"The host family is something not to fear," stated Doughty.

One thing Doughty remembers while staying with his host family is spending Friday evenings eating, drinking and conversing in his host family's sauna.

"It just showed me a true piece of the culture," said Doughty.

While in Ukraine, Doughty created English clubs with students, learned some Ukrainian sign language, and worked for summer camps.

After returning to the United States, Doughty has worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters, attended the School for International Training and currently is working on his Master's degree in International Training.

Dr. Deirdre Egan, assistant professor of English and director of the American Studies Program, joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. her senior year of college. Working in the Northwest region of America, Egan worked as a community organizer in a migrant work population.

An example of Egan's work includes interpreting Spanish in a doctor's office.

"I felt humbled by that experience," said Egan.

Working in a small non-profit organization as a younger English woman, Egan expressed:"I often felt out of my element."

"I felt like I was in a foreign country even though I was in the States," she said.

One thing Egan gained through her experience was the knowledge of grant writing, something she never pictured herself doing.

A silly aspect of Egan's story was living with other people in a house where she had to learn how to cook for herself.

"Many of us were used to living in dorms," Egan reminisced. "We made cooking teams."

Relating to her experience with the Jesuit Volunteer Corp., Egan said it gave her a lot of perspective. She talked about her face-to-face confrontation with the existing problems in the world.

"It was in fact one of the hardest things I've done," said Egan. "You see how the world really is. It gave me a lot of perspective, but there were moments when I thought I've done something meaningful."

Egan suggested to prospective volunteers to look at things like health care, deferment of loans and stipends.

Most of the programs take care of students financially.

Interestingly, many of the SNC faculty have kept in touch with the other volunteers they have met.

"What was surprising to me was how I would extend my network," said Egan. She often stays connected using Facebook and joked that she could really stay anywhere in the United States and know someone.

"You will leave that country feeling like it is a second home," added Doughty.

Robinson suggested students should keep their eyes out for volunteer service fairs. Students can also attend a blessing of students who are applying or got accepted to post-graduate programs.

Students who are interested in getting involved nationally can visit the St. Vincent Pallotti Center website at http://www.pallotticenter.org/. Another helpful resource is the Catholic Network of Volunteer Service website at https://www.cnvs.org/aboutus/index.php. Students can fill out a volunteer profile where they can fill out which programs they are interested in and in what countries. The sites give students a sense of the vast range of opportunities available.

Ellen Mommaerts, director of the Norbertine Volunteer Community, is also inviting students to talk to their volunteers in Green Bay about service or to ask any questions that they might have.