Post-graduate Service

1. Post-graduate Service You must be the change you wish to see in the world.  ~ Mahatma Gandhi

2. Continue the ND tradition… Statistics from the last 10 years consistently show: 10% of each graduating class commits to a year or more of PGS, …that’s approximately 200 graduates each year Of those 200 graduates: 60-70% serve with faith-based programs 30-40% with secular programs 60-70% are women 30-40% are men 75-80% serve in the U.S. 20-25% serve internationally 50% serve with teaching programs 20% serve with ACE 15% serve with Teach for America

3. Main components of post-graduate service programs: Service Community Simple Living Social Justice Personal Growth Faith & Spirituality

4. Service Other Options include: Community organizing Construction Environmental Work Advocacy Business Administration Micro-financing Youth/campus ministry Agriculture Legal Services Human rights Communications Social services … and more Teaching and Tutoring Inner-City Teaching Corps Working with people with mental & physical disabilities Lay Mission-Helpers Health and Medical Care Mission Doctors Association

5. Service What Volunteers Have to Say: “I’m the first in my family to not have joined the military. But the more I learned about MercyWorks, the more I equated it with serving my country.  It was an awesome experience. I coached the boys’ basketball team, which gave me an opportunity to share the values that other coaches have handed down to me, and teach kids to apply the same discipline, hard work and dedication you need in sports to their lives off the court.” ~ Joe from MercyWorks volunteer program

6. Simple Living Nazareth Farm Heart’s Home USA FrancisCorps Good Shepherd Volunteers

7. Simple Living What Volunteers Have to Say: “Simple living is very important to Nancy Lynn Gepfert, who lived in Guatemala for 11 years after volunteering there with the Claretian Lay Missionaries. She buys everything she can used, pays attention to where things are made, and, has developed an ‘ecological consciousness,’ she says. ‘How I live as an individual has an impact on people all over the world,’ Gepfert says. That might be the Mystical Body of Christ. We’re all one.’” Excerpt taken from Megan Sweas’ article, “Marked for Life,” in the July 2007 issue of U.S. Catholic magazine

8. Personal Growth MercyWorks – Mercy Home for Boys and Girls Jesuit Volunteers International Amate House Volunteer Program “I saw my volunteer service as a way to make a difference in the lives of others and to give of myself through serving an underserved population. I may have made a small difference for a handful of people, but without question, the biggest difference was made in my life.”  ~ Camille Williams, Loretto Volunteer Program

9. Personal Growth How does volunteering impact my future? • Volunteering is not about taking a year off or giving up a year. You have the opportunity to grow spiritually, emotionally and mentally by serving others and contributing to a community. • Volunteering is an opportunity to work in a professional environment (at a school, a nonprofit agency, a parish, etc.) and get direct, hands-on experience doing real-life work.  • Volunteering can help you define your life’s direction. Many volunteers go on to pursue careers or graduate studies in any number of different fields.

10. Community Salesian Lay Missioners Inner-City Teaching Corps Comboni Lay Missionary Program S.M.A. Lay Missionaries

11. Community What Does it Mean to Live in an Intentional Community? Intentional community is more than sharing a home or meals, it’s sharing a lifestyle and a conscious commitment to one another. Intentional community also provides… • A means of giving and receiving support throughout the volunteer experience. • An opportunity to work together for shared goals determined by the community. • An opportunity to learn from one another (sharing cultures, perspectives, etc.)

12. Community What Volunteers Have to Say: “You live with other people who understand what you’re experiencing at work and what it’s like to live in community. At the same time, everyone brings different perspectives on life… We have a lot of fun, but we also support and challenge one another. I have established life-long friends and couldn’t have asked for a better group of co-workers and community members.” ~ Becka from MercyWorks volunteer program

13. Social Justice Former volunteer Matthew Nespoli finds, “Running a non-profit, allows him to ‘apply my love of business and economics to a Social justice issue.’ After visiting Waslala, Nicaragua while at Villanova University, he became an economics major to understand poverty. He wrote a business plan for Water for Waslala, which helps develop potable water systems in the region, and the Augustinian Volunteers allowed him to start his non- profit as a volunteer in 2004.” Excerpt taken from Megan Sweas’ article, “Marked for Life,” in the July 2007 issue of U.S. Catholic magazine

14. Two Feet of Social Justice • Responds • to an • immediate need • Private, individual • acts • Requires repeated actions • Directed at the • effects of injustice • Responds • to a long- • term need • Public, • collective • actions • Resolves • structural • injustice • Directed at • the cause • of injustice Charity Advocacy

15. Faith and Spirituality Photos from left to right: Top row: Salesian Lay Missionaries, FrancisCorps, Lasallian Volunteers program, Bottom row: FrancisCorps and Franciscan Volunteer Ministry

16. How do I incorporate my faith? • Variety of faith commitments and charisms • Prayer, journaling, church services, retreats, spiritual direction, formation, community… • Most programs welcome and serve people of all faith traditions and do not do direct evangelization. “Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” – St. Francis of Assisi

17. Catholic Social Teaching • Life and Dignity of the Human Person • Call to Family, Community, and Participation • Rights and Responsibilities • Option for the Poor and Vulnerable • The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers • Solidarity • Care for God's Creation

18. Faith and Spirituality What Volunteers Have to Say: “Through the Scalabrini Volunteer Program, a faith-based service program which values living in solidarity and working for justice, there are opportunities to serve in their six Casas del Migrante throughout Mexico and Guatemala. These are houses of hospitality for migrants coming from throughout Latin America. They are all places of refuge which provide a place to sleep, eat, shower, receive clothing, medical attention, legal counseling, and various other services. I can't think of a better embodiment of the Easter message - as the men continue on their journeys searching for a better life, they have shown me that true love involves great sacrifices.” Maureen Fitzpatrick, ND ‘04

19. Financial Arrangements So I see there are many benefits to volunteering… but how can I afford it? Many programs offer: • Room and board • A monthly living stipend • Health insurance • Transportation • The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $4,725 towards college loans or future school costs. Federal student loans can also be deferred.

20. Educational and Professional Benefits How can I further develop educational and career goals? • Volunteers develop transferable skills such as language skills and experience working with a team that can help them get a job or enter graduate school. • Upon completion of their terms, more than half of long-term volunteers (53.2 %) enter the work force. A third went to graduate school. Others volunteer for another term, and some enter religious life. (from CNVS Membership surveys; 2001-2006)

21. Educational and Professional Benefits What Career Services Has to Say: “Students who participate in post-graduate service opportunities develop a diverse array of "life skills" that help them prepare for a multitude of careers. Students' investment in giving back to society has an incredible impact on enhancing their leadership skills, teamwork, multitasking, problem solving, critical thinking, project management and communications abilities. As a result, these students have been very successful in securing jobs in government, business, health care, law, media, the environment and more!"~ Lee Svete, Career Center University of Notre Dame

22. Educational and Professional Benefits What Companies Have to Say: “When we hire, we consider full-time volunteer service experience as one strong way candidates can distinguish themselves from all the applicants seeking to work in our organization. We know that the alumni of service programs succeed through partnerships, promotion and hard work. Over one-third of our U.S. staff have served in service programs. Their experience has contributed to our growth.” ~ Russ Finkelstein, Associate Director, Action Without Borders/Idealist.org

23. Educational and Professional Benefits What Volunteers Have to Say: “MercyWorks was a foundational year for me.  After seeing first-hand the kinds of challenges these kids face, I decided to address systemic issues that affect children by becoming a lawyer.  My MercyWorks experience gave me a passion for this work.  I still think about the kids and they are a driving force for me today.” ~ Megan, MercyWorks volunteer program

24. Who Can Volunteer? • Those who are 21 or who have a college degree can volunteer with programs for 1-2 years in the U.S. or abroad. • Anyone who is at least 18 years old can volunteer with many of the summer programs. • Volunteers from all faith backgrounds can volunteer. • Most programs also accept 55 and older volunteers. • High school and college groups can volunteer for week-long opportunities. • Single and married volunteers with or without dependents also have the option to volunteer full-time.

25. Collaboration A Network of Programs • There are hundreds of post-graduate service programs. Many faith-based programs are connected through a national network. Currently over 10,000 people volunteer with these organizations every year. • These programs are located all over world (see maps on following slides). • Each program has a unique mission and focus, yet they share similar values and attitudes toward service. “Go to the people. Live among them. Love them. Learn from them. Serve them. Plan with them. Start with what they know. Build on what they have. And when the best leaders leave, the people will say: we have done it ourselves.” ~Lao Tzu

26. U.S. Map of Volunteer Placements

27. World Map of Volunteer Placements(shown below in green)

28. How Can You Get Involved? Check out the following websites that offer resources on post-graduate service: • Center for Social Concerns – socialconcerns.nd.edu • Catholic Network of Volunteer Service – cnvs.org • St. Vincent Pallotti Center – pallotticenter.org • Action Without Borders – Idealist.org • Corporation for National Service – cns.gov • Quaker Information Center – quakerinfo.org • LAUNCH – launchnd.org • Post-graduate Service Fair – Sept. 26, 5-8pm, JACC

29. University Personnel Testimonial "We value these students so much that we offer to double the educational award received by AmeriCorps alumni in scholarship to our full-time Master's program!  But I also find that many of these applicants, especially those who have worked for a couple of years in service, are extremely thoughtful, committed, motivated students with a true Passion for the nonprofit sector. They are often leaders In our program, for instance in our Student Leadership Committee (student governing group)." ~Rebecca Zirm, Director of Recruitment Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Case Western Reserve University

30. "Service program alumni have an advantage in the graduate school application process due to the coupling of the professional experience received along with the human service component of that experience. They have already proved with their service that they are willing to take action on their beliefs and values.  Many graduate degree programs seek out service corps alumni and, in many cases, reward them with financial consideration." ~James Sabourin, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Recruitment, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management Brandeis University (and a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer) University Personnel Testimonial

31. University Personnel Testimonial “Students who apply to and are admitted into the College Student Services Administration (CSSA) program at Oregon State University bring with them a diverse array of previous life experiences. Among the most compelling are those national service experiences like Teach for America, AmeriCorps, and Peace Corps. We often find that many of the candidates who have successfully completed these experiences and thoughtfully reflected on their learning and growth, make excellent candidates for graduate study. Furthermore, the global perspective gained around diversity, citizenship, and education provide --important foundations for our program's mission and the work that is done in higher education administration.” ~Dr. Jessica White, Lead Faculty of Oregon State University’s College Student Services Administration Program

32. Company Testimonial “I currently have two former Peace Corps Volunteers working for me at OMSI.  I think that Peace Corps is  good training for my needs.  I hire outreach educators who have a lot of autonomy, need to be prepared/flexible for a Variety of changing conditions, and put in the occasional long hours in communities all over the Northwest.  It can be tough work but the rewards of working with kids in a variety of communities seems to keep them going.  The pay is typical for the non-profit sector, with benefits, so they are doing it because they like it.” ~Randall Fastabend, Director of Outreach Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

33. Former Volunteer Testimonials “I am in my 2nd year of medical school in Buffalo, NY. I spent last summer working in the ER and doing Emergency Medicine research. The way our health care system is currently set up, there are a huge amount of homeless that end up in the ER as their primary care. I know that all of my experiences at Stout Street gave me a unique ability to relate to and care for all of the homeless patients I saw, and will continue to see.” ~Kerstin May, Loretto Volunteer “I am in the process of finishing up my 4th year of medical school at Michigan State's Osteopathic Medical School. Currently I am living back in Denver doing a 7 week rotation at Stout Street Clinic, where I served as a Loretto Volunteer in 2003; I am living with "the Mary Anns" (two Sisters of Loretto). Before graduation I will spend six weeks in Malawi conducting surgery. I plan on doing a pediatrics residency followed by a pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship. The goal is to return to Denver for fellowship and have the opportunity of staying involved with my beloved Loretto nuns and Stout Street Clinic! “ ~Leana May, Loretto Volunteer