Liz Everett, Campus Editor


This summer I was lucky enough to be able to participate in a Summer Service Learning Program (SSLP) at the Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC) here in South Bend. Unlike many SSLP students, I lived at home and drove to the Center every day, and each time I went, I grew more and more in my sense of community with the staff and students there. Though I have lived in South Bend my whole life, I had never been to the RCLC before, and was pleasantly surprised by the bright colors of the murals that adorned the outside of the building. They stood in stark contrast to the surrounding neighborhoods outside of the privilege of Notre Dame.

Since I have lived in South Bend for over 20 years, I certainly have a greater awareness of the South Bend community outside of the “Notre Dame bubble,” but I was especially struck this summer by the great contrast between the two communities. Indeed, one morning before work I had been dropped off on campus with a sibling and then walked the few blocks to the Robinson Center. As I passed through the luxurious Eddy Street Commons, I marveled at how new it still felt and how cool it was that South Bend now has things like Urban Outfitters and Five Guys.

A few steps past the Commons, however, and it is as if you have walked into another world, a world of boarded up houses and the sense that everything does not seem to come as easily on this side of the road. I had always known this, but the juxtaposition that day really struck me: How many ND students know about this side of South Bend?[i] I wondered. Though this seems to paint a rather bleak picture, my experience was far from that. My days at the Robinson Center were filled with learning and laughter, and I have brought this experience and awareness back with me to campus.

The Summer Service Learning Program is run by Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns (CSC), and consists in a three-credit theology class with an eight-week immersion experience over the summer. Well over 200 students participate annually in the SSLP, hosted by Alumni Clubs throughout the country. When the students return to campus in the fall, they are required to attend various follow-up and debriefing sessions where they can share and process their experiences. As I sat in the Geddes Auditorium on the Monday before classes started, and watched as hundreds of my classmates filed in, each having had different experiences in service over the summer, I wondered what kind of impact that would have on campus life.

Andrea Smith Shappell, director of the Summer Service Learning Program, explained that many students come back from their SSLP experiences wanting to do more during the school year.

“We do not have exact statistics about the types of engagements that SSLP students continue on campus, but in the debriefing meetings we ask each student how they plan to continue to be involved in the local community or on campus in light of the SSLP experience,” she explained. “A high percentage of the SSLP students continue to be engaged in the South Bend community or on-campus student groups related to their summer immersion.  Many take courses related to issues of the summer and/or attend films and lectures related to what they experienced over the summer.”

For many students the experience had an effect on personal formation. Abby Blanchard, a junior in Badin, is one such student.

“My SSLP reminded me of the importance of being present to the people around me, and has provided me with insights as to what I want to do after graduation,” she said.

Kelley Gregg, a senior in Welsh Family, agrees that her summer experience will impact her campus life this year.

“As a psychology major and ESS minor, research is a big part of my coursework,” she said. “After a summer working with kids in educational settings during my SSLP, I am more invested in researching educational issues and have begun collaborating with local schools in South Bend.”

A central focus of the CSC has been to help make Notre Dame students aware of all the opportunities there are to engage with the South Bend community on a deeper level. It publishes the “The Guide to Civic Engagement” at the beginning of every school year, which outlines the sites with which one can get involved during the year, categorized by location and types of service. These can be found in Geddes Hall and in nooks and crannies around campus.

There are a number of local service opportunities for students looking to get involved and ease themselves out of the “Notre Dame bubble.” One such organization that I recommend is the distribution center of the Catholic Worker—Our Lady of the Road—where students gather for Mass, food and fellowship on the first Friday of every month.

Liz Everett is a senior PLS and English major in McGlinn. She misses all of her friends at the RCLC and hopes to visit soon. Contact her at eeveret1@nd.edu.