Changing lives through service
Andrew DeBerry is a senior in Aerospace Engineering and the Hesburgh Program. He sends a shout-out to all those back from being abroad, especially the chaps from the Fall 2002 London Programme. Contact him at adeberry@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
In 20 years Notre Dame can graduate over 50,000 students.
There are over 11,000 students at the University now. In four years, Notre Dame will have another 11,000 walking her campus. Therefore, in 20 years, Notre Dame can graduate 55,000 students.
Saint Mary's College currently has 1,800 students, and Holy Cross College has 600 students. In two decades our three schools together can send out close to 70,000 graduates. If we each used our professional skills to pursue just one social cause, Father Sorin's founding vision would be realized. In pulling our capabilities together, our community's impact "cannot fail to succeed ... It will develop on a large scale."
There is much power in this simple statistic. This is multiplied when coupled with recent momentum on college campuses towards civic engagement and servant leadership. While some view service as abandoning one's current path to pursue an alternative lifestyle, others have a perspective of service that is quite different but just as powerful.
A fall course on Leadership and Social Responsibility led by a professor at the Center for Social Concerns has students interact with local leaders who live this special kind of service, people who embrace their talents and apply them to positively impact society through their work and ideas.
One leader in athletic leadership our class met is a co-director of the Mendelson Center for Sports, Character & Community, an organization that "brings social scientists and sports practitioners together to build character and promote civic responsibility through sports."
Notre Dame is abundant with "service capital" in athletic talent, and the center works with students and talented professionals to tap into the great passion in sports. For example, soon they are having a conference on Sports, Character and Responsible Citizenship, which will "explore the theme of civic engagement and the value and practicality of using sports as vehicles to promote and strengthen commitment to, and participation in, a democratic way of life." What a fantastic idea.
Another area in which some professionals are strengthening their contributions to society is corporate social responsibility and ethics. The Mendoza College of Business has an exemplar in Dean Carolyn Woo. Her education by the Maryknolls in China and perseverance through her studies in America has added to a perspective that breathes life to the idea of business. When done at its best, Woo views the work in her field as stewardship. Maybe it is this values-oriented leadership that has led to the ethics courses that are taught in the college, gaining it the No. 1 rank by Business Week for business ethics.
There are few limits to the good a person having practical working skills can do. As Woo says, "In the life of faith, God is always transforming our boundaries outward."
A group of leaders at the South Bend Heritage Foundation (SBHF) also give a unique and superb example of fully using various professional skills for the benefit of the greater community. Our class visited their offices in South Bend, and we discussed their innovative and grassroots methods to bolster support for revitalizing local neighborhoods.
The work the SBHF has done and builds on is remarkable. They have pressed connections they had with the local politicians to gain their attention and support. Notre Dame architecture students needing jobs were hired for projects. Banks collaborated with the group to work on financial issues. The SBHF has made pressing arguments based on solid, researched legal grounds. The media has publicized the group's community efforts. Ministers, schools, churches and community organizations who believe in fair housing have lent their support.
Most importantly, the SBHF has involved the residents themselves in the leadership, people who have not had much prior experience with such matters but who simply have the passion and sense of citizenship to give to their community.
Because of the integration of diverse professional skills and passions, crime in the improved neighborhoods has significantly decreased. More affordable houses in better condition have been put in place, and schools have benefited.
Those at the SBHF feel their work is a shared calling: "It's a team; we're all in this together." Other cities offering high salaries have asked them to leave South Bend and help with the challenges in other areas. But the group has chosen to remain in at home.
Sometimes having the greatest impact on the world involves simply taking your abilities and focusing on local concerns.
The visit to the South Bend Heritage Foundation was intensely inspiring and made me determined to promote the great impact one can have on society by embracing one's professional skills. This inspiration led me to The Observer.
Meanwhile, a good friend and freshman roommate was discovering a similar passion. While I pursued a column, he gathered a talented team of students to start a non-profit magazine called "Changing Times" which debuted across the nation Tuesday. His magazine and this column share a similar goal to challenge and inspire tomorrow's leaders to connect their passion and talents with ways to contribute to the greater community. After a dinner last Thursday at the dining hall, we decided to work together from different fronts on this key idea.
We who have come to Notre Dame, Saint Mary's and Holy Cross will leave with a special power to embrace our talents and change the times. If we each pursued just one social cause and joined efforts, Father Sorin's vision would be fulfilled, and our community would become "one of the most powerful means for good in this country."
Only time will tell if he is wrong.
All Viewpoint Stories for Thursday, January 23, 2003
