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Spring Break Trips Were Special
Dear Colleague:
I was pleased recently to learn about a "new record" at Saint Louis University. And it reflects very well upon our student body.
This year we sent our largest group ever on spring break mission trips all over the United States and the world. Almost 200 members of the University community participated. Fifteen vans left Saint Louis University on March 3, and each group had a faculty member, staff member or Jesuit scholastic accompanying them.
I was particularly pleased to learn that these groups included not just our students who regularly are involved in campus ministry activities, but also groups from the business school and from some Greek organizations. The students who participated ranged from freshmen to graduate students and came from every area of the University.
Volunteer spring break trips are part of a growing trend of outreach in higher education. Saint Louis University has one of the oldest and best-attended programs in the country. For more than 15 years, Saint Louis University students have given up vacation time to take on issues of poverty, mental illness and the environment during spring break.
The University's trips are sponsored by several organizations, including campus ministry and the community outreach center. This year students traveled to major metropolitan areas, including Denver and New York, and rural areas in Louisiana and the Appalachians. There were three trips outside the United States -- Jamaica, Honduras and Mexico. (Our students stayed with Jesuits in Jamaica and Honduras, and with families in Mexico.)
Outreach is significant part of the University's mission to prepare students to be men and women for others. Mission trips are not reserved for spring break only. Students are involved in the community throughout the year. It's a very special way for our students to live their faith.
I'd like to congratulate Harry O'Rourke, our peace and justice minister at the University. His efforts have led to a doubling of the number of students participating in our spring break trips.
I was happy to read a report issued recently about our volunteer activities at the University. The community outreach center and the office of enrollment research have completed the annual publication of Beyond the Classroom, a University-wide report on philanthropy, volunteerism and community service completed by students, staff and faculty during the last academic year.
The report indicates that more than 6,500 members of the Saint Louis University community gave 322,000 hours of volunteer service hours during the last year ÐÐ 100,000 more hours than the previous year.
Wow.
On average, a University member completed 50 hours of community service during the year. In addition, University student groups, departments and community outreach programs generated $424,974 in philanthropy dollars raised for local not-for-profit agencies.
After I learned these facts, I re-read our mission statement. And then I smiled. Our mission consists not just of words on paper -- they are backed up with action.
And that makes me proud.
Lawrence Biondi, SJ
University President
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