Meeting People Where They Are
Starting my college career during the pandemic was interesting to say the least. Although I was entering a new stage in my life, things felt stagnant. I chose DePaul because it was only being about 40 minutes from home and looking back on it, I’ve realized that a lot of my decisions were made to remain comfortable. Unfortunately, this also mean that the fear of stepping out of my comfort zone limited my growth. Because of this, getting involved at school became difficult to me as I had just been thrown into this completely new environment. My freshman year, as a result, was a bit isolating for me. After coming from a high school where I was very involved in groups and activities, my college experience was proving to be starkly different.
It wasn’t until sophomore year that I felt a part of the DePaul community. That year, I moved onto campus and had a majority of my classes in person, so I was able to meet and connect with my peers on a more personal level. That year ended up being beneficial in forming the social aspect of my college experience as I gained lifelong friends and people I care deeply about. However, outside of focusing on my schoolwork and job opportunities, I felt spiritually detached. Because of the pandemic restrictions, many opportunities to fulfilling acts of service were unavailable and, unfortunately, I grew out of the habit of volunteering. This prompted me to seek out the Vincentian question: What must be done?
I remember the first time I truly understood the intricacies of that question was during training for my Chicago Quarter Mentor role. We discussed how St. Vincent and our other Vincentian leaders led with charitable hearts grounded in service. In my opinion one of the most fundamental and satisfying parts of service is that it can be as small or large as desired. I learned from a very young age that some people must be met where they are, and that any interaction can be considered an act of service. In this, I began to relate to St. Vincent DePaul and his miniscule actions that made all the difference for those he served. To me, a leader is one who addresses this question head-on and keeps the best interest of others in mind. I find the connection between myself and Vincent in our shared sense of charity and service. I was always raised to look out for the best interest of others.
That same quarter that I started my CQM position, a few of my friends encouraged me to apply to the Vincentian Heritage tour. As this was my first time traveling out of the country, I was a bit apprehensive but soon realized how welcoming this trip and community would be. Being a student majoring in Neuroscience, the format of this PAX class was completely new to me. It was one of the first classes at DePaul where it felt like the class was designed for the students. From the journaling to the safe space that was created, I felt as though the emphasis was placed on reflection rather than filling out a degree requirement. One of my favorite projects was being able to read and reflect upon the writings of a Vincentian leader. I chose St. Vincent DePaul and found his awareness of his audience admirable. Every individual’s experience is unique and requires specific attention to respect their human dignity.
Over our time in Paris, a lot of these ideas resonated with me in my times of need. For the first few days in Paris, I was sick and had to miss out on a few excursions including the first group dinner. While others were out exploring Paris, I was in the motherhouse attempting to feel better. Although I was physically alone, I felt the love and support from my fellow VHT’ers. This all comes back to the idea of simple service having a large impact. For those on the trip, a simple 5-minute check in meant the world to me.
With all of these learning experiences through Meet Me at the Mission, my biggest takeaway has been personalizing service so that not only does it meet the person where they are, but also so that I can provide the best possible service. As a leader, I think its important to acknowledge when you are not able to show up in the most effective way and depend on others for support. During my college experience I had to learn that although you might want to assist in a lot of projects, it is better for you to focus energy into specific projects. This helped me a lot to not wear myself out and understanding my limits regarding many aspects of my life.
Looking toward the future, I plan on working in the medical field. Within this career, the main objective is to better the health of the population. Utilizing my degree in the sciences and knowledge of Vincentian values, I hope to address the needs of the community. More specifically, I hope to research causes and cures for neurodegenerative diseases. Learning more about the mission and attending events about instituting systemic change has allowed me to see the many injustices relating to the medical and scientific fields.
As I continue into my final year at DePaul, I hope to grow as both a scholar and service leader within the community. Meet Me at the Mission has supplemented my idea of caring for others and myself. I hope that I can continue on my leadership journey while getting the opportunity to share my story and connection to the Vincentian mission.
