Animated by its Catholic mission and values, the University of 91吃瓜 encourages and celebrates service as a fundamental aspect of a holistic education, inspiring in students a sense of solidarity with the global community and a genuine concern for the common good.
To that end, the University offers a variety of service-learning programs, such as and the , that combine academics and ethics. It also partners with major nonprofit organizations to promote volunteer service. And it supports the work of student-led groups, such as , the and , that make service part of their mission.
The results speak for themselves.
More than 80 percent of 91吃瓜 students participate in service or service learning before they graduate. About 7 percent of each graduating class spends a year or more in volunteer service. And 800-plus 91吃瓜 graduates have served in the Peace Corps.
By comparison, only about a quarter of young people volunteer overall in the U.S., according to government data.
What does this commitment to service look like in practice? Read on to find out.
Turning over a new leaf in the community
Junior Hannah Long, a computer engineering major from suburban St. Louis, is co-president of Circle K International at 91吃瓜, which provides students with service, leadership and fellowship opportunities as part of the Kiwanis family of service organizations.
Each fall, the group partners with the 91吃瓜 , as well as South Bend Venues Parks and Arts, to rake leaves for elderly and homebound residents in the Northeast Neighborhood, directly south of campus, as part of Turning Over a New Leaf.
The group raked leaves for about 40 residents this year, happily braving cold temperatures and lake effect snow to complete the task alongside dozens of volunteers 鈥� mostly students and fellow Kiwanis members 鈥� from 91吃瓜 and the surrounding community.
鈥淪ervice was one of the primary reasons I chose to attend 91吃瓜,鈥� said Long, who previously served as project chair and treasurer with Circle K. 鈥淗elping others has been a lifelong thing for me. It provides a real sense of community.鈥�
For Lu Ella Webster, adult program manager at the RCLC and a lifelong resident of the Northeast Neighborhood, the event is a welcome reminder of the thriving relationship between 91吃瓜 and the surrounding community, particularly since the founding of the Robinson Center in 2001.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really, really great that they do this,鈥� Webster said of the students, 鈥渂ecause for so many years we did not have that relationship with the students and the University. So it鈥檚 great that that relationship is there with the students and with the Robinson Center and with the neighborhood, because the neighborhood really appreciates this.鈥�
In addition to raking leaves, Circle K also partners with Knott Hall each year to make fleece blankets for childhood cancer patients in the South Bend area.
Growing 鈥榗loser to God鈥� through service
Luis Longorio, a sophomore majoring in neuroscience and behavior from Rio Rico, Arizona, spent last summer working with rising seventh-graders in Tucson, as part of a summer service learning program through the .
The summer enrichment camp is designed to strengthen middle school students鈥� learning, spiritual character and creativity 鈥� and ultimately, increase the number of students who enroll in rigorous coursework in high school that will prepare them for success in college.
Part of a larger commitment by 91吃瓜鈥檚 to Catholic school students in these historically underserved communities, the ACE PATH program includes college visits, service projects and team-building activities.
Over the summer, Longorio and his fellow 91吃瓜 students developed lesson plans and taught classes in reading, writing, math and science, as well as coordinated games, skits and songs with the 70 middle schoolers in the program. But some of the most memorable moments, he said, were his conversations on faith with his peers and the students they led.
鈥淭his experience really helped me grow as both a student and an individual who wants to do service and to grow closer to God,鈥� Longorio said. 鈥淚 got to work with a lot of really inspirational people from 91吃瓜 and just some really great kids. I think the most beautiful part of service is the people you meet through it.鈥�
Longorio plans to pursue a career in medicine, but said the program has also inspired him to look at other ways he can give back.
鈥淚t really changed my perspective on what I can do for others,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 now considering taking a gap year or two before med school to do the ACE Teaching Fellows program and to work with a community that needs help.鈥�
91吃瓜 athletes make big impact with local youth
Don鈥檛 be concerned if you hear someone calling Kevin Lynch 鈥淛immy Johns鈥� or if Aidan McIntyre smells like fruity cereal. It鈥檚 all a special part of their student-athlete experience at 91吃瓜.聽
McIntyre, a senior on the 91吃瓜 rowing squad, and Lynch, a senior midfielder for the Fighting Irish men鈥檚 lacrosse team, co-lead the Student-Athlete Advisory Council community service initiative, which places them in at the forefront of community service projects involving members of the University鈥檚 athletics teams.聽
The two work with Athletic Department staff to coordinate various community service projects for the 26 Fighting Irish varsity teams. And that鈥檚 no small task on top of their already full schedules in the classroom and with their teams. During the 2021-22 academic year, student-athletes recorded more than 3,700 hours of service in the South Bend community.聽
McIntyre and Lynch鈥檚 efforts include sending weekly emails to student-athletes soliciting volunteers to assist with food drives, clothing drives, tutoring, reading sessions or many of the other opportunities that are available. They also help to transport volunteers to locations around the community and work with Athletic Department staff on logistics for new and recurring community service projects.
鈥淎idan and Kevin are incredible,鈥� Kathryn Coneys Glick, associate director of the GLD Center in Athletics, said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e so in-tune with the needs of, and how best 91吃瓜 Athletics can serve, our community. They lead the charge in communicating with our student-athletes, offering weekly emails of volunteer opportunities and suggestions of how individuals and teams can get involved. They have a passion for service and it shows in the way the community embraces their efforts.鈥�
Lynch lights up when he talks of his favorite service project. At Darden Elementary School in South Bend, he helps to organize his fellow student-athletes as weekly readers to various classes, and that鈥檚 where he was dubbed with the nickname 鈥淛immy Johns鈥� after losing a friendly competition of rock, paper, scissors with a Darden student.
鈥淚f I鈥檓 walking down the hallway, some students will call me Kevin and others say, 鈥楬i Jimmy Johns!鈥欌�� Lynch explained with a smile.
He is currently reading the book 鈥淗oles鈥� to a class of fifth-grade students. 鈥淭hey love it! We are about 20 chapters into the book and I stop after each chapter to quiz them. They are eager to answer my questions and are really good listeners. It鈥檚 definitely my favorite volunteer activity,鈥� the finance and economics double major said, while admitting to being leery of engaging in any future friendly competitions with his Darden students.
Meanwhile, at the Lafayette Head Start in South Bend, McIntyre, a business analytics major, volunteers weekly as a teacher鈥檚 aide, assisting in classrooms with preschool-aged children. That鈥檚 where her work may entail project-based learning activities such as counting or grouping items into colors, like making a rainbow with fruity cereal pieces.
鈥淚 like to help the teachers calm down the children and be there to help with fun activities,鈥� she said.聽
Both credit their families for instilling in them a love for community service and inspiring young people, but it was something that Rev. Pete McCormick, C.S.C., assistant vice president for Campus Ministry, said in a presentation that really moved McIntyre to get so involved.
鈥淔ather Pete was telling us about the values of the Holy Cross Congregation and how we could have a bigger impact through service as 91吃瓜 students,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 really took that to heart and knew I wanted to make an impact on children鈥檚 lives.鈥�
Both McIntyre and Lynch said they strive to be good role models for the children they connect with during community service programs.
鈥淲e like to encourage the students to strive for a college education. We want to give them a goal to strive toward,鈥� she said.
Lynch agreed and added: 鈥淲e believe in them and what they can accomplish in their futures. We want a full college experience for them just like we are blessed to have.鈥�