Community Service

Student activists gather at a quarterly round table dinner to build relationships, share resources and reflect on the successes and challenges as a political/activist student organization.

Mission
Political Activist VIA Engagement (PAVE) serves the activist/political organizations by creating opportunities for dialogue, capacity-building, and reflection rooted in civic and spiritual dimensions of DePaul's mission.

Vision
PAVE coordinators will support the DePaul political/activist organizations by building relationships with these organizations’ members. PAVE coordinators will meet with these organizations regularly to engage in reflection and resource sharing. Each quarter PAVE hosts a Roundtable Dinner to create a safe space where the organization members can express their personal successes, challenges and concerns openly and honestly. Weekly, PAVE coordinators will come together to share their experiences and reflect on their justice work through the VIA model. Ultimately, PAVE coordinators’ strive to dedicate themselves to spiritual growth, service, justice, and community building.

Contact
Contact Abigail Rampone via email with questions.

The Vincentian Community Service Office sponsors a national faith and justice civic learning conference every other year drawing over 40 universities and non-profit organizations.

In the spring of 2007, a group of faculty, staff, and students from state Campus Compact offices and public and private colleges and universities from across the Midwest gathered at St. Mary's College of Notre Dame, Indiana. Motivated by the idea of collectively organizing a national conference focused on the integrative significance of faith, justice, and civic learning in higher education, this group began working together and partnering with others across this country to design and plan the first NFJCL conference in 2009 – with conferences following in 2011 and 2013.

NFJCL Conference Goals:

1. To disseminate research findings on the intersecting areas of faith, justice, social responsibility, and civic or service-learning.
2. To share faith perspectives on ideas and practices of justice and social and civic responsibility.
3. To focus on justice and its relation to civic and service-learning, and/or a faith perspective.
4. To discuss the practice of service-learning and its impact on faith and vocation at both secular and faith-based education institutions.
5. To explore the role of reflection, in particular, in connecting faith, service and learning.
6. To share research and practice of interfaith dialogue and cooperation in higher education.

For more information, contact Karl Nass.

Learn how to volunteer in different domestic and international post-graduate volunteer programs to make a difference in people’s lives and in the world. Students can use these tools and resources to see if post graduate service is their next step.

Are you a senior wondering what to do next year? An exciting array of post-graduate volunteer programs lay before you...everything from a few months to a couple of years, in settings close to home or on the other side of the globe.

Many of these programs offer placements that will stretch your knowledge, your skills and your awareness, better preparing you for graduate school and your future career. You will have the opportunity to work in a professional environment, learning firsthand about community issues and processes for addressing them, while applying your skills in responsible and challenging capacities. You also will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in service, community, simple living, social justice, and faith and spirituality.

For further resources to aid in discovering your next step, please consult:

• The Response Book of Postgraduate Volunteer Opportunities (available in University Ministry)
• Catholic Volunteer Network: https://catholicvolunteernetwork.org/

Post Graduate Volunteer Fair

Every Fall DePaul hosts a Post Graduate Volunteer Fair. The fair offers graduating seniors a great opportunity to meet with over 30 volunteer organizations with a wide variety of opportunities in the US and abroad. For more information, contact Abigail Rampone.
Note: Most postgraduate service programs offer room, board, monthly stipend and health insurance, and the participants live in community.

Benefits

• Student Loans Deferment: You can do post-college service even if you have student loans to pay back. Be sure to ask programs about deferment possibilities.
• AmeriCorps Education Award: You may apply for the AmeriCorps education award through many programs. This $5,500 grant can be applied to past school loans or future education. Ask each program for specifics.
• Health insurance: Most programs provide some form of health insurance.
• Financial accommodations: Many programs may also provide transportation (to and from, and while there, etc.), living expenses, stipends, retreats and travel opportunities.
• Professional Development: You can do almost any kind of work you choose. You can gain work experience for your future desired career or you can try out a new area with no prior experience necessary. Either way, you will be adding to your resume and building the foundation for your future work.
• Personal development: This service experience, which may include community living, faith practices and advocacy work, offers you the opportunity to further explore your goals, identity and life direction.
• Exploring the United States: With volunteer programs in all 50 states, you have the chance to explore a new place. If you choose to stay in that area after your service commitment, you will have already established a community of support and friends.
• Living abroad: With programs in over 100 countries, you may choose to live abroad for a year or more.