Service Project

For my service opportunity I am working for Operation New View as their marketing coordinator. New View provides different head start programs for the less fortunate in an effort to help people in need. They have programs such as weatherization which helps people who cannot properly heat their homes during the winter by getting them a new furnace. They also have programs that allow people to file for their tax returns for free. My job is to work on different brochures and other marketing tools in order to help spread the word about the different programs that New View offers. My service has entailed meeting with the heads of each department in the organization to determine what they want said in their brochures and how they want their information portrayed to their potential recipients.

My service calls several issues to mind. The main thing is that some people are so poor that they cannot afford to heat their homes during the winter, or they can't afford to do their taxes and earn back some money. The main issue is that people who qualify for help don't realize that they qualify. A lot of people don't receive the help that they need because they simply don't know that they can be helped. At Loras I have learned that many people come from different walks of life and that a lot of people are different than me and have different views and opinions. But Loras has also taught me that everyone should be given a level of equality and respect, and just because someone has a different view doesn’t mean that they are wrong. It is my job to get the message out to people who qualify for help; these people may be a lot different than I am but that does not mean that I can’t help them. This service allows me to give several people a bit of hope, that someday they can work their way out of poverty and have a better life for themselves and their family.

Character Development and Service to Others

I viewed an interview of Dr. Morris Dees on YouTube. Dr. Dees described how when he was first starting out in the civil rights movement he had to go against the establishment to help the poor and African Americans. This turned the community against him because he made a decision that he felt was right but many did not find popular. I think that this relates to what we have been discussing in class in regards to leading a virtuous life. In order to develop your own character and be virtuous, you need to do things as an individual and not just because society believes it is the right thing to do. You need to keep the dignity of others in mind when you make your decisions, but that does not mean you should blindly follow what other people believe is the right thing to do. You need to make your own decision. In this case, Dr. Dees went against the popular sentiment at the time and instead defended those who needed help. He did what was right for human dignity and went against what was popular.

Dr. Dees provided a great service to others by defending African Americans and poor people during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. Many members of the community turned on him after he defended people of the opposite race, but Dr. Dees continued his service to the less fortunate. He said that many types of people get blamed for things that are not their fault, and that often times people are just looking for someone that they can blame. By doing what was considered by many to be unpopular, Dr. Dees managed to help many lives that otherwise would have been unfairly discriminated against.

Social Issues and Catholic Social Teaching

A social issue that I find very compelling is the issue of obesity. We live in a country where too many people are overweight and continue to eat horrible food. While many of us recognize that this problem exists, people continue to get larger and larger with almost no end in sight. I think it is compelling because so many people are impacted by it yet the problem continues to get worse. People still continue to go to McDonald's and other fast food places even though they know how bad that food is for them. Many people sacrifice their health for convenience and cheap prices.

The Catholic Social Teachings say that consumption is an important part of experiencing life. In order to feel like a human being we all must take in certain amounts of things in our everyday life. Whether that be food, drink, or memorable experiences. The Catholic Social Teachings do say that over consumption is a major issue and is one that must be addressed. They speak of obesity as a great evil because of the amount of lives it ends.

I think that it is important that this topic is addressed by the Catholic Social Teachings; however there is not a lot that can be done. People need to get into a mindset where they realize that they must eat healthy or their quality of life will suffer. My experiences at Loras have shown me that many people have different viewpoints. Eating healthy is important to me, but it may not be that important to somebody else. Until everyone comes together and tries to eat healthier obesity will continue to be a major problem in the world that we live in.

Catholic Identity

As Catholics at Loras College we have a sense of justice and charity that must be given to the surrounding community. We recognize that we are fortunate to be at this college, and some people are not so lucky. Rather than focusing on ourselves, we realize that we must go out into the community and provide charity for the less fortunate. Simply focusing on ourselves and the life that we live is not enough, and as Catholics we recognize this. We strive to help others and do our best to provide justice where it is needed.

At the same time, this Catholic identity can hinder or inhibit student development. Sometimes as Catholics we tend to focus on our own views and perspectives and see other people's beliefs and decisions as incorrect ones. Often times we don't put ourselves in their shoes; we don't understand their beliefs or we think they are wrong.

Finally, I think that Loras has given me many tools that will help me serve my community in my service project. They have given me the ability to understand the viewpoints of people whose background may be different than my own. Using this ability I will be better equipped to not only understand what someone may be going through, but I will also be able relate to them and try and help them. I have also gained knowledge in many different fields as a result of the Liberal Arts program, and thus am able to help serve the community in a variety of ways.

Character and Liberal Arts

When you receive a liberal arts education you are not only developing your mind, you are also developing your character. By gaining knowledge in several areas of study, rather than just one subject, you learn to approach problems by several different angles. This helps develop your character because you stop focusing on one viewpoint and put yourself in other people's shoes. You stop being selfish and egotistical and start listening to other people and respecting their opinions.

This is the best value that a liberal arts education helps students cultivate. You stop focusing on your own viewpoint and consider the needs of other people as well. By learning to accept people who have different viewpoints than you do, you become a more well-rounded individual which helps you become a better person. Once you learn that the decisions you make impact everyone around you, and not just you yourself, you become a better person.

I believe that Loras has helped me see the world through other people's perspectives. By doing this I am able to see things in a different light, and am able to use this to gain more knowledge and make decisions that are better for those around me. I have learned more about myself as a result of attending Loras than I would have had I gone to a state university. By gaining a more well-rounded view of the world I am also able to better understand myself and the way that my actions impact others.