Community Engaged Learning & Service

Drake University

Category: Features (Page 1 of 2)

Loving My HOME (inc.)

2019-02-04 /

By Emily Hanna

Hello! My name is Emily Hanna and I am an enthusiastic member of the Engaged Citizen Corps (ECC) here at Drake University. As a part of the Engaged Citizen Corps I get to take service-learning specific classes and have an internship as a first-year college student! (And write this amazing blog post!)

The organization I am working for is HOME, Inc., or Home Opportunities Made Easy Incorporated. HOME, Inc. is focused around three main topics: revitalizing Des Moines neighborhoods, creating opportunities for quality affordable housing, and retaining housing through education and counseling. All in all, they help make sure people have homes, and are able to stay in them.

One of my jobs at HOME, Inc. is to create content for social media accounts. As a novice graphic designer, it is thrilling to be able to create posts and see how they look on Facebook. I created an Instagram page to attract a younger population to our resources and make sure we are consistently posting on social media. Coming this Spring, we are revamping the 15-year-old website. My job is to look through the data and make sure that all the information can be found online in a simple and effective way. 

The saying of being an intern can be true when it comes to my job once in awhile. No, I have not gone on any coffee runs yet, but I have spent a good amount of time with the copier. I find myself creating a lot of packets for our RentWise program- a series of classes for the community to learn how to be a responsible and wise renter- and building folders full of information for our new homeowners. 

As a part of my job, I get to spread the message of our mission: revitalizing, creating opportunities, educating, and counseling, and that is amazing. I have learned so much about landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities, something I would have not thought about. I have been able to rewrite brochures that help people know their legal rights through the Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which has been an experience that has opened my eyes to struggles that people face. 

A fun part of the job I was able to experience was attending a task force meeting. A variety of representatives from different nonprofits in Des Moines came together to tackle the problems released prisoners face when they re-enter society. There are multiple difficulties former convicts face, mainly employment, education, and housing. After listening to many professionals speak, I gained the sense of how vital and important housing is. Through this meeting and the work I have done at HOME, Inc. I have learned that housing is vital to a successful life. Without housing what does one have? This is a question that continues to bounce around my head as I take my law classes, and when I took an ECC course talking about dignity. 

The entire Engaged Citizen Corps program has been a blast. I would say life-changing, inspirational, eye-opening, or motivating, but they sound too cheesy. I’d say if you could google positive adjectives, every single one would be a word I would describe ECC. What I learned in my First Year Seminar (FYS) class was the definition of service-learning. Not just the google definition, because you don’t need a class to learn that. But the concept and real-life practice of service-learning. 

As a class, we would read a chapter of a book, discuss it, practice it, and then reflect on it. That, that long process is what I call service-learning. I find it so fascinating that I can go through that process to not only help others, but to make myself a better person. 

Because of this program I am a better person. And it is not just because I am now an expert copy maker, or that I accumulated 130 followers on the HOME, Inc. Instagram. But, it is because I understand what service-learning is, how to treat people with dignity, how important housing is, and how to think on both sides of an issue. 

I am so thankful for this program, for HOME Inc., and for you, who made it to the end of this blog,

Best wishes,

Emily Hanna

P.S. I would not be doing my job right if I did not publicize HOME, Inc. (Facebook and Instagram @homeincdsm)!

The Many Faces of Randomness J-Term

2018-04-06 /

What is randomness? We all have some preconceived notion for what it means, but how does one describe it mathematically? The purpose of this J-Term (The Many Faces of Randomness) was to look at a few uses for concept of randomness, and determining what, if anything unifies them. We started out by analyzing card games, dice rolls, and coin flips. We then moved on to discussing some of the common perceptions and fallacies regarding randomness. These fallacies usually arise when people attempt to find patterns in random sequences. They range from the semi-rational “hot hand fallacy” (when a player of a particular sport seemingly increases their odds for making a shot based on their previous shots that game), to the almost entirely irrational “gamblers fallacy” (when a person is playing a game of chance and determines that, due to previous failures, they are due for a win). After touching on these topics, we moved deeper into the mathematics behind randomness. We discussed many concepts including entropy, determinism, random number generators, Kolmogorov complexity, and much more. So, I think it is safe to say that we didn’t spend the entire time drawing cards and flipping coins.

IMMAW

After spending our J-Term studying randomness, we were invited to create an exhibit for the I Make Me a World in Iowa Education Day STEM Festival. Over 1,000 middle school and high school students from across Iowa came to learn about African American culture and to explore higher education. Our class came up with four different stations for the students to interact with.

Station 1

The first station was focused on the perception of randomness. We laid out eight pieces of paper. Four of them displayed randomly generated binary strings, and the other four displayed patterned binary strings. On the back of each sheet was a statement either saying that the string was random or describing the pattern that the string held. The students task was to try to pick the random strings. This helped convey the idea that a random string may appear to have a pattern, and a patterned string may appear to be random.

Station 2

Our second station was focused on probability and randomness. We created a plinko board with twelve rows of nails and thirteen possible outcomes. In theory, the board would display a normal distribution due to the probabilities involved. All we had the students do was drop a penny into the plinko board and watch to see where it landed. It sounds simple, but the students had a great time trying to see if they could get a penny to land in a lower probability slot. By the end of the day, we had what looked to be a relatively normal distribution of pennies.

Station 3

At our third station, we let the students attempt to generate randomness. The idea was to give the students thirteen cards, all in order from Ace to King, and let them shuffle the cards until they believed they were randomly  distributed. We had a computer set up that calculated how random the string the students had generated was, so they got to see firsthand how good they were at generating randomness.

Station 4

Our fourth and final station was about interacting with randomness. This station was our most popular station by far because it involved Virtual Reality. The game we created was based off of a famous way to generate a random sequence called a random walk. The basic idea is that an object in a 3D plane has six different directions it can go, and it has equal probability of going in each direction. The game involved an object moving through a 3D plane with that property, and it was the students job to shoot the object               with the virtual bow and arrow. By letting the students interact with randomness through Virtual Reality, they got to learn and play at the same time.

Overall, the students that visited our stations were extremely interested in what we had to offer, and they walked away with a greater understanding of randomness.

My Takeaway

I am honored to have been able to not only attend the festival, but to have run a station at our exhibit. Watching the students come to our exhibit and learn about randomness through different games was wonderful. Even better was when they asked questions. Helping educate and inspire students that were intellectually curious about mathematics and randomness made the whole event worth it for me.

Written by: Connor Ellingson

 

 

Meet the ECC Members–Ashlie Bunten

2018-04-04 /

Upon applying for the Engaged Citizen Corps, I was under the impression that it would be like any other form of service I had done throughout my lifetime- direct and short-term contact with whomever I was serving. Little did I know that being a part of the ECC would cause me to reexamine the way I viewed myself and the service I do. In short, the ECC has not been what I initially expected. In reality, it has been a much more enriching and impactful experience. Through combining my academics with service, I have gained a deeper understanding of social issues (specifically homelessness) and how my actions impact others.

As an Engaged Citizen Member, I have been paired with Iowa Homeless Youth Centers (IHYC), a non-profit that works to end the cycle of homeless and promote independence through assistance and support. IHYC works primarily with the ages of 16-22 with direct assistance in the areas of education, employment, safe housing, positive community engagement, and life skills. There are several programs instilled at IHYC in order to achieve the youth’s goals within the said areas including the Youth Opportunity Center, Post-Secondary Education Retention Program (aka PSERP), counseling, Street Outreach, and Emergency Beds. The Youth Opportunity Center is a safe-space where youth can have a warm meal, use computers, socialize with others, and relax. Meanwhile, PSERP works closely with the youth as a form of support while achieving a higher education. Several of the youth utilize the counselor, while even more participate in Street Outreach, a program in which every other weekend, members and volunteers of IHYC bring survival packs to people experiencing homeless. Finally, the Emergency Beds are available for up to 10 youth, in which they can reside for a short amount of time while they work with IHYC’s staff to figure out their next steps. Needless to say, IHYC is dedicated to helping the youth reach a level of self-sufficiency.

As an ECC member, I work closely with Taylor McKee, the Development Coordinator and Emma Christianson, the Development Director. My main responsibilities at IHYC include helping organize special events. I am also responsible for revamping IHYC’s presence on social media and occasionally interviewing youth or staff members for the IHYC’s newsletter. During my time thus far at IHYC, I have gained a better understanding of the inner workings of non-profits and the amount of thought and work that goes into every aspect of the programs. More importantly, I have become more educated on the social issue of homelessness and now feel as though I have a greater understanding of how I can act as an advocate. All in all, this year has been a very humbling and eye-opening experience.

As a part of the ECC’s service-learning component, I took a class called the Common Good with my fellow ECC members. While this class was not what I was expecting, it caused me to reexamine my preconceived notions about service. Essentially, we read and discussed Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton, a book that enforced the idea that service often hurts and disadvantages the ones it aims to help. Initially, this message seemed rather taboo and cynical. However, after further analyzing Lupton’s message, I was able to acknowledge the root of his message. Too often in the field of service, aid is given without fully examining what actually needs to be done and how it will affect those being served in the long run. Additionally, some service provides too much assistance that it leads to dependency, which in turn creates and perpetuates a cycle. In contrast, IHYC believes that the only way to break the cycle of homelessness is through promoting self-sufficiency among the youth. Through doing so, the youth are able to take accountability for the progress and their future plans. I have seen first hand how thrilled and proud the youth are when they complete a major task or milestone. After seeing the impact that IHYC’s tactic had on the youth, I was able to better understand Lupton’s message and its implications.

While I have had many wonderful experiences during my time in the ECC and IHYC, I am most grateful for the level of social awareness the programs have given me. Before this year, I considered myself a knowledgeable and socially-conscious member of society. However, I now have a better understanding of the causes and social construct of homelessness than I did before entering this program. Our society has a habit of ignoring topics or issues that make us uncomfortable or don’t directly affect us. This is a major flaw as it only perpetuates the issue. Thus, I’ve realized that advocacy can start small. In fact, change can start from simply realizing there is an injustice. For example, several times throughout the year I have found myself acknowledging stereotypes our society has on a day to day basis. I have also become more self-aware of my privilege. More specifically, I have realized that while I cannot control the fact that I am a privileged individual, I can control how I use my privilege. For example, I have used my privilege of going to Drake to promote change and advocate for others through serving as a member of the ECC.

It is amazing to think that I have gained so much experience and awareness just through simply applying to the ECC. Drake University and the ECC have exceeded my expectations and made my first year of college an enriching and unique experience, and for that I am thankful. As my year draws to a close, I am saddened to think that my time as an ECC and IHYC member are almost over. However, I know that my journey to becoming a better advocate has only started and has been greatly aided by my experiences provided by the ECC.

Written by: Ashlie Bunten

Meet the ECC Members–Hannah Smith

2018-03-28 /

Hello all!

My name is Hannah Smith and I am a new member of the 4-H Iowa State Extension and Outreach community and have never been so excited! I started working with 4-H around the end of August of 2017. I have been working mainly with Tiffany Berkenes, a Youth Program Specialist, as my supervisor, and I have been having a great experience so far. I am a part of a small program at Drake University called the Engaged Citizens Corps, in which we work with a number of non-profits and learn mainly what it means to properly serve. I’m originally from the south side of Minneapolis where I was born and raised and now I am a member of the Drake University community. I am a first-year student with an Elementary Education major and a minor in Spanish.

During my time so far at 4-H, I have had the opportunity to work with multiple afterschool programs in Des Moines including Hillis Elementary, Harding Middle School, and Callanan Middle School. I am so blessed to be able to work with such a diverse amount of kids coming from all types of backgrounds. This has helped increase my awareness and ability to work in situations that aren’t necessarily in my comfort zone. I am grateful to be able to work in such an inclusive community. In addition to working with a number of schools I had the opportunity to participate in the 4-H Ujima Retreat at the beginning of my service, which was an awesome experience where African/African American and Asian/Asian-Pacific Islander students were exposed to what higher education is and the doors it could open. I plan to do a lot more during my time with 4-H, including more afterschool programs, retreats, and creating a joint service project with a few Drake organizations such the APO Service Fraternity and Hillis Elementary.

A child’s education is one of the greatest things you could offer – an opportunity to expand their minds and enjoy all the light it can bring to certain situations. In many under privileged areas education is not emphasized as it should be and the children miss out on reaching their full potential and the future they truly deserve. What my goal is as a beginner educator and role model is to show these kids how fun learning can be and aid them in finding their passions and showing them the steps to reach their goals. This will not only show them what they are truly capable of but also create integrity, grit, and leadership. To teach that when things get hard, it doesn’t mean it’s time to give up but to work harder than they did before. A lot of the work I do also gives them light on our current events and history. For example, I recently did a lesson on both Black History month in February and International Woman’s Day in March. I believe it is important for the kids at a young age to understand what environment they will be encountering on their journey toward the future.

I hope to serve for a higher purpose and continuously aid in creating happier and healthier communities. I am proud to say 4-H and the Engaged Citizens Corps have been the start of a long line of service and internal growth.

Written by: Hannah Smith

J-Term Service-Learning Project

2018-03-19 /

Professor Heidi Sleister’s Personal Fitness and Nutrition J-term class did a service-learning project with DMARC food pantries to educate themselves and the community on healthy food options. One thing the students created were “shelf talkers” which help inform people about healthy food choices and the foods they are consuming.

2018 IMPACT Conference

2018-03-07 /

The IMPACT Conference is historically the largest annual conference that is centered around civic engagement. Building on its 32 – year tradition, student leaders like a few of our own Service Learning Ambassadors ventured off to Dayton, Ohio in search for innovative ideas for sustaining leadership programs, encouraging student volunteerism and ways to impact the community we live in. IMPACT is a one – time opportunity where students, administrators, AmeriCorps members and VISTAs, and nonprofit professionals are brought together to share effective practices and improve personal skills to bring back to their home universities.

My biggest takeaway from the conference would have to be the idea that it is not our responsibility to volunteer, it is our privilege. I would like to think other Drake students could use this statement, as a way to reflect on their approach to student volunteerism. I thought it was interesting to compare what the student body at Drake University contributes to service-learning projects versus the necessities that we should and can be provide but that we are overlooking. Shifting the perspective from responsibility to privilege removes that idea of simply ticking off a volunteer requirement on a to do list. Hopefully, if we start looking at our service learning projects through the lens of our privilege – we will see how easy it is to leave an impact and how beneficial that act truly is.  This new way of thinking for me could only be obtained looking at things from the outside in and that is exactly what the four days at the IMPACT conference pushes you to do.”

By: Jazlin Coley

Meet the ECC members–Brittany Freeman

2018-03-07 /

When I opened the email about the Engaged Citizen Corps last year, I thought I was just clearing more “college propaganda” (as I like to call it) out of my inbox. Little did I know, my decision to actually engage in the content would lead to a defining program of my first-year experience. The Engaged Citizen Corps is a holistic program where you work, live, and learn in the same environment of your cohort. Through a mutual pairing process, each member is assigned a local non-profit agency in Des Moines. For me, this meant that I would be working with Anawim Housing, an affordable housing and homelessness outreach non-profit, to complete my 300 hours of service as an AmeriCorps member. Though the face value of 300 hours seems a bit daunting, it truly is necessary to connect with the organization on a deeper level. But what does this actually mean? It is easy to get caught up in the opportunity to build your resume especially as a first-year, but this experience is far more than another line on your resume.

Let me preface my experience by saying that I had virtually no expectations for this program. I had done internship programs before, so I already knew the importance of keeping an open mind. So, I kept it simple. I looked at this as an opportunity for growth and education. Having never been to Des Moines, I thought there was no better way to become acquainted with the problems and struggles facing the community. This was exactly the outlook I needed. Going to Drake, it is rather easy to get caught up in the micro-community of the campus, but it is important to remember that people’s entire livelihoods exist beyond the confines of the campus.

These “livelihoods” that I describe are often wrongly stereotyped especially within Anawim’s tenant basis. Though these people may be experiencing drug addictions, alcoholism, single parenthood, etc., they are not lazy, helpless scum. They are just people who have been bogged down by society’s unequal distribution of resources. With a deepening gap between the haves and the have nots, they feel the inescapable burden the most. Non-profits like Anawim are designed to provide opportunities to those who might not otherwise get the chance. But, it is important to note, that even Anawim’s programs do not extend to everyone. These man-made boundaries put people at risk for an on-going cycle of self-hatred and frustration. I regret to say that it is this that results in giving up. In doing so, people experiencing homelessness accept the wrongly attributed labels and become what they are described. This is not their fault. It is ours – for not speaking up or changing our language (one of the most powerful tools we have).

Seeing the narratives of Anawim’s clients – those who have experienced homelessness and those just in the need of reduced housing costs – I have begun to understand the diversity of Drake’s surrounding community. Without this experience, I would imagine that I too would be swept up in the luxuries of a small, private, liberal arts university. But instead, I have had the privilege of truly assimilating into the community and recognizing the importance of changing my dialogue. Though I may just be the “intern” at Anawim, I am doing so much more. I am documenting histories and completing tasks that aid in the overall functionality and vitality of the organization. I am educating myself and preparing to educate others. I am connecting.

Nonetheless, I know it is easy to get caught up in my story or the stories of the people, but it is important to also reflect on your own personal impact. It may seem like as a single entity you have no ability to affect change, but you do. It is this flawed thinking that is perpetuating our systems of inequality. Active reflection and implementation act as counter measures to the superficiality that is plaguing our nation.

To bring this full circle, let me return to Drake – what it means for the campus, for the students, and for the surround community. The Engaged Citizen Corps is not a program of single-student reflection in the community. It is a program designed to bridge the gap between Des Moines and Drake. For me personally, this has resulted in the pursuit of leadership roles in various organizations on campus where I can affect change within the realm of service and beyond. It means planning service events not only for the women in my sorority but also the greater student body. It means encouraging active education about issues and inspiring the pursuit of individual passions. It means making service a desire not a requirement. Together, we can inspire activism, advocacy, and service on campus with the purpose of translating it elsewhere as well. We have the privilege to serve other people, and we shouldn’t take that lightly. To that, I am going to leave this blog post with one final remark – “community service has to be less about random acts of kindness and more about strategic acts of justice,” (Wayne Meicel).

By: Brittany Freeman

 

Citizen Engagement at CFUM

2018-02-21 /

My passion for service led me to join the Engaged Citizen Corps at Drake University, an academic and service year experience for first-year students. The Engaged Citizen Corps program requires students to volunteer at an organization, and I was assigned Children and Family Urban Movement (CFUM). Being part of the Engaged Citizen Corps program, I have to be more mindful of my actions while volunteering, because “even the most innocent and well-meaning attempts to help, inflict pain” (Lupton 147). With this possibility in mind, I wonder whether or not I am making a positive impact on CFUM, what have I learned about myself so far, and how have my views changed during this entire experience?

I work with the different programs that CFUM has to offer, such as their K-5 programs, Gender-Specific programs, and community engagement programs. While working with the K-5 programs and Gender Specific programs I help clean the classrooms, prepare snack for the children, plan enrichment activities, help with homework, and monitor the children’s whereabouts. I understand that when working with children one needs a lot of patience and truthfulness, especially when there are continuous conflicts: the children fighting with one another, children misplacing items, not listening to me or the other adults, and not wanting to participate in academic studies. Truthfulness allows me to render genuine answers to the recipients about school and life. They understand that they can trust me as an ally and someone to look to for advice, particularly towards college. However, I do run into questions about the possibility of hard work and personal struggles inhibiting them from wanting to go to school, which is why I also work in the community program section of CFUM for their Grit Program. But, before I attempted to manage the Grit program, I had to apply the concepts I was taught in the ECC program.

In being a ECC member, I took a First Year Seminar Class called The Common Good. In this class we read Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton. Lupton admonishes forms of volunteerism that will cause more harm than help, in particular, precluding the chances of dependency and disempowerment. Most of the causes of toxic charity is from volunteers that lack recognition in their actions, and expressing a superior deposition. To preclude the chance of any expression of arrogance or superiority, I have to “enter the neighborhood as a learner than an initiator” (Lupton 161). I am an observer with the students, with the intention of trying to find what they most needed most from the grit program: support, endurance, recognition and other essential characteristics. The overall goal is to empower the youth, in which Lupton expresses that “when we do for those in need what they have the capacity to do for themselves, we disempower them” which then creates dependency, and dependency is a form of toxic charity (Lupton 3). We want to empower the youth to make a social change, and give them the tools to surpass potential obstacles. Hopefully, our new project can do that.

CFUM and I are starting a new project that entails integrating more grit – self-discipline wedded to a dedicated pursuit of a goal through perseverance – into the recipients. The purpose of this project is to augment the children’s chances of success after they graduate from CFUM’s programs through activities promoting grit. CFUM and I want the children to be successful in their academics, social and emotional lives. I am collaborating with the program coordinator – Hannah Olson – to ensure that the activities I am creating can be feasibly implemented. Before creating the activities for the children, I read two books by Paul Tough, How Children Succeed and Helping Children Succeed. Both books take on the challenge of elaborating on methods of augmenting the chances of a child’s success, and record other organizations trying to do so. In addition to this, I had to procure inspiration concerning grit activities from other professionals through online research. With information from Tough’s books and online sources, I realized that grit has many counterparts to it. Therefore, I divided the curriculum of grit into subunits: growth mindset, discipline, environment, intrinsic motivation, and failure. My activities are modeled after each of the subunits of grit, which would overall teach the children how to apply grit into their lives. Some of the names of the activities that I have created are Grit Pie (inspired by Kristen Goulet), Finding Your Grit, Board of Support and Guidance, and Perseverance Walk.

Most of these activities were made from essential skills. I had to use my literacy, organizing, creativity, and recognizing skills. When reading the books and online resources, I analyzed the importance and effective approaches each one were depicting. Also, I organized my notes in a presentable manner to the directors of CFUM to ensure they could understand my findings. In addition to this, the most prominent skill is creativity. With working with children, I have to make activities that appeal to their interest. Through volunteering for CFUM, I recognized I am more than just a volunteer, I am a role model for the recipients that go to CFUM. I came to this conclusion once I saw that I identify with many of the values of CFUM. CFUM appreciates how I value development, discipline, knowledge, and grit, because these are values that they want to implement in their recipients, so the children can have long-term success. From having these similar values, CFUM wants me to work for their organization past my 2 semesters of volunteering, in order for me to be around the children/recipients more.

Individual analysis forces one to approach whether or not their service is effective. I feel as though my work is effective because of how I am building strong bonds with the recipients, and making it known to them that I am an advocate for their success through the projects that I am on. In addition to effectiveness, individual analysis allowed me to learn about myself. I learned that I am more than just a volunteer; I am a role model for others. Even if I don’t see it, I have people looking up to me, and it shapes how I conduct myself. I conduct myself humbly as a positive role model. Besides learning about myself, I learned that service can be toxic, in which volunteers can do more harm than help. With that being said, I cannot wait to continue my service with CFUM and other organizations in an effort to find more opportunities for impact and growth.

Written by: Jamie Rusan

Sabrina Uddin–Engaged Citizen Corps Member

2018-02-14 /

Hello, my name is Sabrina Uddin and I am a first year student at Drake University from the Chicago area. As a member of the Engaged Citizen Corps (ECC), I am an intern at IMPACT Community Action Partnership. The nonprofit organization has several offices throughout central Iowa, but the Drake Neighborhood office in particular is home to both the leadership team and an outreach office that services the community. Though I work primarily with the Director of Community Engagement, I am often able to collaborate with other members of the leadership team and staff in the outreach office. IMPACT runs two major programs from its outreach office: a food pantry and Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The food pantry is utilized by an array of households throughout the community for varying amounts of time. LIHEAP financially aids households by assisting in payments for utilities bills.

Typically, I make the five-minute walk to the office from Drake twice a week and spend between eight and ten hours completing a variety of tasks. Through interning at IMPACT I have gained unprecedented skills and experiences because I am able to interact with many different aspects of the association. When I first began interning, I focused on two entirely different projects: organizing staff t-shirt orders and an audit of the food pantry. This was a good introduction to working at IMPACT because I familiarized myself with the staff, volunteers, schedule, and locations of food recovery and other IMPACT offices. Since those first few weeks in September, my projects have expanded to include answering phone calls and scheduling appointments for LIHEAP clients and organizing open-ended responses from a community survey. On a daily basis I make copies of flyers, expertly use the paper cutter, and enter information into spreadsheets.

Occasionally I engage in direct service by assisting in the food pantry. I work with volunteers to lead clients through the food pantry. My internship is focused largely around behind-the-scenes tasks that help the nonprofit run smoothly, however I always appreciate being able to interact with the people IMPACT helps. Regardless of whatever task is at hand, I know that as a member of the Drake Neighborhood and Engaged Citizen Corps, I am ultimately contributing to IMPACT’s overall mission of working to eliminate poverty by addressing the needs of the community.

Drake University’s campus is rather like a bubble. It is easy for a busy college student to become wrapped up solely in academics and extracurricular activities, forgetting about the community around the campus. However, it is important for students to remain cognizant of the fact that they are certainly part of this community. Since we live in the area during the school year, I believe it is important that students engage with the community in some way, whether that entails venturing off campus to support local businesses or simply saying hello to another person at the bus stop. As students at Drake University, we are undeniably connected to this community. I know that if I had not ventured out of my comfort zone and applied for the ECC, I would not feel nearly as connected with the Drake Neighborhood as I do currently.

Through this internship, I am afforded the opportunity to converse with and learn about community members and this has allowed me to develop a substantial understanding of the Drake Neighborhood. Since I am aware of the challenges and successes of the community, along with other students who are engaged in the community, I feel as though I better understand where improvements can be made and what we, as Drake University students, can do in order to help make a positive difference. Furthermore, by working in what some might call “the real world” I have been able to observe and experience situations that have sharpened my critical thinking skills and my ability to work with people. I know that after I am no longer a member of ECC, I will carry these lessons with me. When I am home, in the suburbs of Chicago, I now have knowledge that will allow me to optimally help my community. Regardless of where I end up in the future, I want to be sure that I can contribute positively to the overall wellness of my community.

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