Post Graduate Service

I served with the Colorado Vincentian Volunteers in the 2017-2018 service year. My experience was one of clarity that shed light on what it really means to live with a servant’s heart while being a woman with and for others. CVV gave me a community that has become an extension of my family as well as a service site that opened my eyes not only to the injustices of our world, but to my career. CVV was the most formative year of my life. My year of service experience was sacred, beautiful, and eye-opening. I pray yours is too!

My time in Belize so far has been very much an invitation into a different kind of hospitality. I am invited into people's homes and communities, but also into sharing their joys and trials. I have been invited into becoming a more caring and loving person & a more hardworking and thoughtful advocate.

I was truly blessed to have the opportunity to participate in the ACESJU program. I remember being in utter disbelief the first time I heard about ACESJU. I thought to myself, “this program offers the opportunity to gain professional experience, funds your master’s degree, provides free housing, AND you earn a monthly stipend? There has to be some kind of catch.” Looking back, I guess the catch was that to make the most out of ACESJU you need to be open to ‘stretching’ yourself and willing to show radical compassion toward your students, housemates, coworkers, and school leadership.

I am extremely thankful I took the leap, moving halfway across the country to an unfamiliar city to live with people who speak an unfamiliar language. Every day, I feel myself being transformed into a more true version of myself. I chose to pursue post-grad service because I wanted to live a life with a passion to see the gospel revealed in every aspect of life.

As I look back on my time with USC and the shelter, the word gratitude continues to show up. This program gave me the chance to live with a greater purpose - the opportunity to step away from the norms of my life and put my Jesuit education, to be with and for others, into action. I was able to dedicate my energy to serving those who are underrepresented and to learn from them.

I am serving in Detroit, Michigan at the University of Detroit Mercy as their Associate University Minister. I live in community with four other people and I have grown to love all of them in beautiful and unique ways. I chose to work in Ministry as I really wanted to pay forward all of the kindness and hard work that Saint Joes had done for me.