As the semester is wrapping up, Campus Ministry service opportunities are as well.
Service in April is unique because the University’s time with its service partnerships is coming to an end.
“We work together [during the year] to address an issue that the local community has raised,” said the Associate Director of Campus Ministry, Katie Byrnes. “For our Big Brother/Big Sister [program], it’s time [for them] to say goodbye to their Littles, and the same [goes for those involved in] Best Buddies and Pencil Pals.”
Pencil Pals, in particular, ends its season with a Pencil Pals Popsicle Party, where the Pals get to meet in person for the first time. The program involves volunteers being paired with third-graders from local schools and embarking on a year-long pen pal exchange. The party is a time for them to celebrate the relationships they’ve been building all year.
Some of the opportunities Byrnes promoted were at Sturges Ridge, an assisted living facility in Fairfield. “We have balloon volleyball twice a week, and a game day with them on Sundays,” she said. “We’re there a lot, and I think they’re going to miss us over the summer.”
For the game nights in particular, the number of volunteers is capped at five. In addition, students are able to rent transportation to and from the facility. To do so, they need to complete three driving safety modules and submit a photo of their license.
A new food project, Storehouse Project Food Pantry, meets every day (except for Mondays and Sundays) at 9 a.m., 10 volunteers can rent transportation, help distribute food, emergency aid, and other vital resources, and help stock the pantry.
Another service opportunity is happening on April 18, in the parking lot of Blessed Sacrament Church in Bridgeport. The event is in partnership with Build Bridgeport From Within INC, a grassroots organization committed to renewing the city through mentorship, hands-on initiatives, and more.
Volunteers will help clean up the neighborhood from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and the event will be followed by music, food, and time for community members to connect and network. Students can rent transportation for this event.
Byrnes discussed other events happening at the Bryant School, including a Read-Aloud happening on April 17 and the Senior Service Event, a field day for the preschoolers on May 1. Mia Swenson, a senior on the Senior Service Committee who has been involved since her first day on campus, shared the details of the event.
“We’ll have stations for dodgeball, chalk art, three-legged races – all the things from your own field day from elementary school, just scaled down a little bit developmentally to fit the four to six age population. I think it’ll be a really nice break from studying for finals for [the] seniors,” Swenson said. She’s also hoping to drive recruitment for the event, seeing as its target volunteer audience is primarily seniors.
Additionally, there are service opportunities for students who are working on campus over the summer. “All the leadership opportunities in Campus Ministry came out [in an email], so people can get involved and come back early…people can help with Ignite, retreats for next year, service, or liturgy,” Byrnes said.
As the weather gets warmer, the campus therapy dogs are out and about on campus. Three of the dogs belong to Fairfield University staff (Katie’s dog, Bennett, included) and are outside more often than not for a unique reason.
“There are nine therapy dogs on campus, [and] the outdoors give them more space,” Byrnes elaborated. “But we have a student who has a seeing-eye dog, and working dogs can’t interact with therapy dogs, so we stay out on the grass. And, who doesn’t want to hang out with puppies outside?”
She also shared the plans for the annual Campus Ministry end-of-year barbecue, slated for April 30. The event will be in the plaza, starting at noon. She spoke to its community value, saying, “Everyone’s invited! There’s no program, just coming together because we made it through the year.”
This time of year encourages Byrnes to look towards the future, supporting and encouraging those who are beginning their service journey at Fairfield. “[Those] in Bowman Hall, the Ignatian Residential College, or Build-A-House; we’re making sure they’re connected to those things now,” she said.
She balances her time between ensuring that students are ready to “hit the ground running” come September, and helping the graduating seniors find opportunities outside of campus. As the seniors are gearing up for the next phase of their lives, a few of them reflected on their time with Campus Ministry.
Through service, Swenson learned that “…a lot of inequalities and inequities are multifaceted.” She further explained that service opportunities are not cut and dry, and that they focus on the whole person, or cura personalis. “[That’s] the best way to attack inequalities…really give [people] the support they need, and I think Campus Ministry does a great job with our Community Partners [with] filling in [those] gaps,” she said.
Additionally, she shared that service at Fairfield University is not “a lifetime commitment.” She encourages students to try things out and be open-minded when it comes to service opportunities, but also encourages them not to “seek out barriers” that could prevent them from volunteering.
Senior Grace Nieszczezewski has also been involved in service since her first year at Fairfield University. When it comes to service, she says, “It’s less about serving somebody and making it about putting yourself in that higher position, but allowing yourself to recognize the surplus that you have and the deficit that other people have and being able to give of yourself in a way in which you feel like you’re called to.”
She also said that the most important thing to consider when choosing a service project is passion. “If you don’t have the passion, the time, attention, and energy for it, it’s a waste of the gifts and resources that you’ve been given,” she explained. She added that the more passion and excitement volunteers pour into their service, the more those on the receiving end will gain.
Senior Kaitlyn Matos attributes her four years of involvement to her understanding of the importance of outreach. Expanding volunteer efforts beyond campus is a large part of Campus Ministry’s mission, and Matos claims that adding small moments of service together makes a big impact.
For the incoming seniors, Matos shared her most vital piece of advice: “The only way to do college wrong is to leave the same way you entered. Service is a great way to enrich your college experience.”
