February 12, 2010
Demonstrating their enthusiastic commitment to serving
those most in need, St. John’s students have quickly assumed a
leadership role in the recently launched NYC Service College
Challenge.
NYC
Service College Challenge is an outgrowth of NYC Service which was
launched by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in April 2009 to meet his State
of the City pledge for New York City to lead the nation in
answering President Obama’s national call to volunteerism. The
program has three goals: to channel the power of volunteers to
address the impact of the current economic downturn; to make New
York City the easiest city in America in which to serve; and, to
ensure every young person in New York City is taught about civic
engagement and has an opportunity to serve.
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St.
John's VISA Program
The
College Challenge was created by NYC Service to draw on the energy
and talents of college students, faculty and staff to serve the
city and make a difference. The program calls for the city to
partner with area colleges and universities to expand organized and
self-directed student volunteerism, particularly highlighting where
the city’s needs are greatest. It strives to further connect
college students, faculty and staff with their surrounding
communities and neighborhoods and encourage service as a key
experiential learning tool on campuses.
While College Challenge is still in the early stages of its
development and impact, St. John’s students have exhibited their
Vincentian inspired commitment, leading the way by almost doubling
the hours of community service of the second place participating
institution.
To
date, St. John’s students have completed 927 hours of service as
compared to 483 hours from students at the runner-up school.
“We don’t view this as a race among competing institutions,” said
Darren Morton, M.Ed, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs
and Director of the Vincentian
Institute for Social Action (VISA), “but, rather, as an
illustration of how a commitment to service permeates the
educational culture of St. John’s and impacts every student’s
college experience. We anticipate that we will remain in the
forefront of student service delivery in the program as more and
more of our students participate in College Challenge.”
The College Challenge Program brings the wide range of service
activities in which St. John’s students are engaged into sharp
focus. Throughout the five boroughs and around the globe, St.
John’s students bring compassion, ideas and innovative service to
help the disenfranchised gain dignity and build
self-reliance.
Dea-Marie Tompkins ‘10Ed, says that service has both enriched her
life and prepared her for the career she hopes to pursue as an
elementary school teacher. For example, along with volunteering to
clean local schools for University Service Day, a St. John’s
tradition, Dea-Marie also volunteers her time and talents to tutor
children in an after-school program at a local library. “There’s
nothing like seeing a child’s eyes widen when you suddenly help her
understand something she needs to know for an assignment,”
Dea-Marie explains. “That’s what you have to do as a teacher, so
it’s the best experience you can have.”
Thomas Heaney ‘10CPS, comes from a family committed to helping
others in their local New Jersey community. He was attracted to St.
John’s because of its reputation as an institution that integrates
scholarship and service. Thomas is active in Campus Ministry and is
an avid participant in St. John’s ‘midnight runs’ in which students
systematically comb the streets of New York to provide food to the
homeless throughout the city. “It is an incredible feeling of
gratification and accomplishment to assist others who are so much
in need,” Thomas says.” To me, service is not a duty but a
joy.”
Both Thomas and Dea-Marie’s experiences are part of the compendium
of service projects which contribute to the NYC Service College
Challenge.
Maggie Bach, Coordinator of Leadership and Service and the
University’s liaison with the College Challenge Program says,
“Every St. John’s student providing service is part of the College
Challenge. The Office of Leadership Development is eager to make
certain that all the diverse service activities of our students are
counted. Students should fill out a Service Report Form and submit
it to me, Maggie Bach, in the Office of Student Life in the
D’Angelo Center. We want to ensure that everyone’s efforts are
counted to reflect all the great community service work done by our
dedicated students.”
James
P. Pellow, Ed.D, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer has led the University’s efforts to create
strategic partnerships with the city through both service and
sustainability initiatives. These innovative programs include a
cooperative effort with the Department of Homeless Services to
create the Advantage Academy to support the education of
individuals from homeless and formerly homeless single parent
families. Another unique partnership is with the New York City
Housing Authority in support of the Afternoon All-Stars Program,
first begun in 1995, to provide disadvantaged youngsters from the
five boroughs the opportunity to develop learning skills and
enhance their social development. Dr. Pellow offered an important
perspective regarding the early success of St. John’s students as
service providers in the College Challenge.
“I am certainly gratified, but not at all surprised, by the
prominent role our students have played in the initial stages of
the NYC Service College Challenge,” Dr. Pellow said. “I believe it
reflects the focused efforts of the Provost, the Deans, our faculty
and student affairs administrators to weave service into the fabric
of the St. John’s educational experience. And, of course, it
requires a dedicated core of students who are committed to helping
those who are struggling and most in need. Our continuing
participation in the College Challenge, which will include
broadening and diversifying the service activities of our students,
both strengthens our institutional commitment to civic engagement
and solidifies our strategic partnership with Mayor Bloomberg and
New York City to assist disadvantaged populations across the five
boroughs.”