Assessment of my accomplishments thus far

As the semester comes to an end, I believe I did fairly well with my goals.  My revised learning plan is attached below as a reference for what I set out to do.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REVISED LEARNING PLAN

Individual service site 

 Name of organization and location: 

The Dubuque Multicultural Family Center

 Name of contact who will serve as supervisor and reviewer

Madeline Cairney

Description of duties/activities

            Help in volunteering at the Multicultural Family Center.  Be there for the children to help them read and do homework as well as help in any activities that may be planned for the children.

Learning plan

What are your goals?  Why did you choose these goals?  How do they relate to coursework at Loras?

            My main goal is simply to be available to the children.  At the very least, I want the children to know that I’ll be there to help them with math or just a cool guy to play some games with.  It would definitely be great to have awesome programs, but the relationships that can be built are crucial.  Some of these children don’t have any constants in life, so for as long as I can, I’d like to be there for them.

            These goals really relate to the coursework at Loras because they focus on relationship, and relationship not only with myself, but with the children and the community.

 Means to the goals. What will you be doing to help you reach your goals?

            In order to reach my goal, I need to be at the MFC at the times I have set.  Though it is only Wednesday and Friday, if I’m consistently at the center on those two days, I will set a pattern that the kids will hopefully get to know.

 Assessments.  How do I know whether or not I met my goals?  How close did I come?

            In order to assess this goal, all I’ll have to do is go to the MFC and when the children come they just have to smile when they see me.  That will be the measure of my goal.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trying to be there and make somewhat of a change to just a few of the kids is a pretty high goal when I'm balancing the work of school and a job.  I, at first, thought this would be a piece of cake until the semester dragged on.  It did become more difficult to go to the center, but when I did, it was great.  A number of the kids have gotten to know me by name just from my being there.  And I've learned that there is so much potential in the kids that come to the MFC.  Most of them are very hard-working and very bright.  Some just need some consistency in order for them to be able to use their full potential.  Therefore, just making myself noticed by some of the kids is one big point that I wanted to point out that I accomplished in my learning plan.  Just getting a hug from one of the kids as she ran into the building proved to me that I, at the very least, accomplished that part.

As far as planning other activities and events, I don't think I quite lived up to my own standards.  In the beginning, I planned on really making a presence down there, but school and work sort of put a halt to devoting too much time down there.  However, though I didn't get to do it as often as I would have liked, we did get some activities planned.  There was a man that came down there that was a middle school teacher that had some ideas that we could do with the kids for activities, and I did partake in that.  We had a day where we made certain shapes out of some homemade play-doh and a few other fun little activities that kept the younger kids involved.

Overall, I think I did an OK job at providing service, but what did I learn in return?  Actually, I learned quite a bit.  Just learning about the potential in the depths of Dubuque, Iowa, really showed me that this world has  a lot to offer.  There are many young children with many talents, but sometimes they do not have the support that they need to use these talents.  I now think about how many people in this world didn't get the chance to share what God gave them.  I know that there is no way that I can make a huge impact on this, but I do know that I would like to help people use their talents, especially those within my family, because family is very important, and I've learned that a healthy life usually starts in the home.

Change

Change and communities.  It seems that some people are very welcome to change, however, there are many that fear change will change their lives for the worse.  In some cases, change is necessary to resolve community issues, while other times change is not necessary at all.  But no matter what, change is necessary to help us grow.  If we are so closed-minded to change, we become complacent.  We become content with what we are and what we have and do, and the same is true for communities.  If communities do not change, they stop growing, not in size, but in acceptance and understanding.

I have learned that it is difficult for communities to change.  Some communities have a hard time accepting new people into their neighborhoods, while other communities have a hard time accepting new ideas.  From what I've heard from some people at the MFC, I have come to understand that some people are very critical of it.  They do not like the idea of it, nor do they like the fact that there are a lot of kids there after school.  That is just one small community.  Look at this nation.  After the election of President-elect Obama, some of this country is not ready to accept him.  I recently read that some hate crimes are up in some parts of the country.  How do we change this?  How can we make people understand that change is sometimes necessary in order for growth?

The answer:  I don't know.  If I did, I'd be a Nobel Peace Prize winner.  I would make headlines across the world, and peace would reign.  However, I do know one thing, it takes a lot of time, patience, and effort to make even a small group change.  It's just human nature.  We all want to have our own ideas included, and not everyone agrees with our own beliefs.  This, if not treated in a fair manner, can lead to disruption and war.  If we can at least change or negotiate with others so that both parties or all the parties are satisfied with the results, then everyone will be content.  However, it seems that with the way things are today, it is nearly impossible for all parties to agree on a compromise because each group always thinks that they get the short end of the deal.

I believe that an "invisible" person much like the narrator in Invisible Man has the opportunity to initiate change.  I believe a person can do that through example.  That example, over time, will spread.  It will first start with family members, then to friends, then to coworkers, then to more and more people.  This change will not be immediate, it will not happen right away, but it will spread.  For it is not the big deeds that make change, but all the small ones.

Stories to be told

I have learned that there are many stories to be told by all of the children and families that take part in the Multicultural Family Center.  Just last week when I was helping with the Halloween party, I couldn't help to take myself away from the noise and just sit there...sit there thinking about these wonderful kids...each with a great story...and each with hope for the future.  Most of these children do not have much, and when we place food in front of them, they just go to town on it.  Some of them seem to lack some of the essentials in life...food and sometimes love.  I think because I see that a few of the children yearn for attention.

All of this makes me think of their stories--where they came from, what their situation is now, and what kind of possibilities these children have in store for the future.  Do they have the same opportunities as me?  This is a crude question, but I feel that some of these children are in very tough situations to grow.  Though there are some children that will definitely flourish from their experiences at this young age, I cannot help but place my attention to those that seem in need.

These stories need to be told because they are the foundation of many people that may struggle in society.  Some people look down on people of lower class that may not have the opportunity to work hard, or work really hard and aren't compensated for it.  And it is the latter story that needs to be told.  People need to know that there are a lot of people in this world who work very hard and do not get the time to spend with their family because they are trying to simply allow their family to live.  I think this story is of the utmost importance, especially in this society where some people get everything and don't work a darn for it...it pisses me off (excuse my language, but I feel very strongly about this) when I see this.  And this is what I think Nussbaum is trying to say.  She knows that a well-informed society is a society that understands, and if one can understand the circumstances of many people, that person is no longer ignorant.  If a whole society can understand the circumstances of the many people who suffer, that society is no longer ignorant.  Understanding is living well.

Service Update

Thus far, I have completed approximately 26.5 hours of service at the Multicultural Family Center in Dubuque as well as contributed in a city-wide winterization project. Overall, I believe I have learned quite a bit in my contributions. Though I am only at the center twice a week, it is refreshing to have a couple kids literally jump up on you in excitement just because you're there today. Though, it's not all fun and games.

Last Wednesday in particular, we had a different group of kids that were very disrespectful and did not listen to anyone. They would not listen to any elders and would roughhouse, use foul language, and just be plain right disrespectful to us and others. To me, I have no problem disciplining kids that are relatives of mine, but it is very difficult to me to really use so "force" to discipline these kids that I don't know or have only known for a short period of time. Sometimes I don't feel like it is my place because this disciplining is usually taught in the home.

Through that, it really makes me wonder what homelife is for some of these kids. A child may come in with snot dried up all over their face or is really young and just walking out in the town by themselves or with a slightly older sibling or cousin. It really makes me wonder...these parents are working so hard to give these kids the materials they need, but some of the kids aren't getting the love they need.

Last night at our Halloween party, I was sitting and thought to myself (sometimes I think way too much) where these kids will be in ten years. I look at them and see so much potential, but will they be given the tools to use it? Will they have the opportunities to go to college or train for the career that they are capable of? Will they have to work too hard for their kids? All these questions and more run through my mind, and I hope that these children get those opportunities, I hope they're in excellent positions, and I hope that they will have the time to really teach their children the basics of life. When these kids come from wherever and are absolutely starving when they get to the center, there is likely a deficiency somewhere.

Basically, my experience in service up to this point shows that I have a lot to learn. There are deep issues that this society faces, and with an election coming up in a few days, it really makes me wonder if anyone can turn this society around. The people that oppose helping these people are still afraid of a socialist society, and the people that want to help struggle to figure out what will help the most. There is no simple way out of where we currently are. There is much to be learned.

Catholicism

I have gone to a Catholic school all of my life. I am not "extremely" Catholic, and I try to question my faith in as constructive ways as possible--for a scientist that is. There are many things that I don't--and won't ever--understand because that's just the way things are. However, being part of a "Catholic" community has taught me a few things about people.

Now I never like to make generalizations about groups of people, but I think it is easier to describe what I've learned by doing so. I have learned that there are about four types of people.

One, the person who is overly faithful and believes that everyone should share the same faith.

Two, the person who has a strong faith, but understands that there are many religions, and that there is no proof that any one person is right or wrong.

Three, the person that has no preference but understands that there is something out there that is greater than us.

And four, the person who just doesn't care at all (in all honesty, there really aren't too many of these people, so I won't go into it).

So I'm going to admit that the first type is quite annoying to me. With my experience with people of many faith traditions, I simply cannot hold that view or agree that it is valid. You can't tell me that God will throw me into hell for supporting immigrants in the United States (as one man held a sign that said this up in Postville). I hate to have a Star Wars quote in here, but Yoda said that, "Only the sith deal in the absolute." And by sith, he meant the evil and selfish. And that is true, if a person is so focused on him or herself being right, only conflict will come out of that.

I personally like the second person. They are focused and seem to have a clear goal in life, but they still understand the world--or I guess they simply understand that the world cannot be understood. They believe that no one person is right, but if you live by a good set of morals, then you are living a good life (the third person is also quite similar). However, as soon as one mentions the word "morals," the discussion of religion and where morals come from now comes into play.

All-in-all, I guess there are two types of people that I discussed. Those that deal in the absolute, and those that try to understand. And these two are like oil and water, they don't go together. It seems that if you get two of these people in a room to discuss something, nothing gets accomplished and tempers flair. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but it would be better if we could all come to somewhat of an understanding.

So all this blabber that I just said gets me to this, I've had a lot of interesting conversations in my time at Loras College. I cannot say that Loras being a Catholic institution had anything to do with it, but I've had many--some had me up till three in the morning intrigued by the way other people view the world. I think it is awesome to share a great conversation with other people. It is a way to get to know how humanity works.

I do know one thing, though, I've never had to pull out a Dorothy Day quote or reference. It seems that when dealing with "backing up" your religion, I think it takes a personal understanding. You do have to know a bit about your religion, but you must be able to understand the view of the person you are conversing with. That is the key to what I've learn at Loras--UNDERSTAND, EVEN IF IT'S SIMPLY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DO NOT KNOW.

Politics

When I first see the word "politics," I first think of a bunch of old men and women jabbering on about a ton of money, yet they know absolutely nothing except how to get elected. Heck, I know (and I'm not trying to be arrogant) that a few well-educated people could run this country a lot better than a bunch of old men and women that make way too much money.

Anyhow, what really comes to mind is basically everything. Everything from the little interactions with managers at work to people who try to please professors by being afraid to comment on something they do not think is right. Too many times, I see someone try to suck up to someone else and completely lose theirselves. Politics, to me, seems to ruin people--it makes people lose their true selves if they are not strong willed. And the thing is, politics is everywhere. How do you think a building is built? First, you've got to go through all the rules and regulations that other people came up with. Recently in the news, I have read that soon, all taxis in New York and a few other towns must be hybird vehicles. The problem is that these vehicles are shorter than the current Crown Victorias. There is also a federal mandate that requires all taxis to have a bulletproof barrier between the passenger compartment and the driver. Now, this means there is a safety issue: there is a very stiff material that is close to a passenger. Thus, the passenger will strike this unforgiving material in the event of an accident. Engineers have been warning the federal government of such an issue, but the mandate continues--thus the engineers are left without a solution yet, and taxi drivers will end up paying tons of money to meet the mandates. BASICALLY, a lot of politics is costing tons of money (because people who know nothing about cars aren't listening to the engineers who build the cars), and they are wasting tons of time. Therefore, I say POLITICS=WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. Simply put.

Now enough of my own jabbering about what I think about politics. When I'm down at the Multicultural Family Center (MFC), I find myself thinking about safety. Last Wednesday, we took the kids to the playground at Prescott elementary school, and I worried about safety a lot. White Street is a very busy street, and these kids can be wild. It is hard to control many of them, so I feared that if one of them were to get hit by a vehicle, my tail would be sued. That is what type of politics is instilled in my brain, it seems to inhibit my judgement at times. Nonetheless, I had a blast. It just seems that I want to make sure that everyone is safe, and everyone follows the rules. That way, no one can ever say something poorly about the MFC.

Also, this Wednesday, we were cleaning up for the day, and one of the ladies that works there was cleaning up outside when she came in and said that some guy was getting all cranky about the sidewalk chalk that was a block away from his house. You've got to be kidding me! This guy is ridiculous. It is sad that people have the right to complain about such negligible matters. It's sidewalk chalk for heaven's sake. It'll wash off in the rain, and it is simply a few energitic kids having fun. We later found out that this gentleman is not very accepting of other races, and he complains a lot about the kids that come from the MFC. I've been working with these kids for a few weeks now, and I know that they are sometimes overly energetic, or sometimes they leave a bit of a mess behind, but they would never try to do anything that would upset someone. I just think it was a ridiculous situation. And again, politics caused much of the roots of this. Though the link may be difficult to follow.

Overall, I personally am sick of all the situations where politics comes to mind (especially during a political season). It makes me so mad when I see people who do not even consider the side of others. But anyhow, I could ramble on for hours about my disgust with politics and how it complicates everything.

Service Projects

First of all, I'd like to talk about my service at the Multicultural Family Center thus far. It is a wonderful time when I get down there. I arrive, and the kids that come on a regular basis recognize me and seem to take a liking to me. They have TONS of energy, and they can wear you out or get a little loud. All-in-all, its a great opportunity to be a part of their lives.

Basically, my job is just being down there and helping out. When things get busy, there can be a lot of kids packed into a tiny building. Wednesday, with the beautiful weather, we took the kids over to the Prescott playground where they all had a great time. We were hanging on the monkey bars, playing basketball, and just messing around having a grand ole time. It brought back good feelings of childhood. But the great thing is how the kids enjoy it as well. I know that many of them don't have an older person to play these games with them. I think it allows them to enjoy it more when others join them. Plus, I had a lot of fun helping them have fun.

As far as our group service project goes, I think we're headed down the right path. Once we gather all the relevent information that we need about the happenings in the Washington Neighborhood and the Bee Branch line, things will start to fall into place. Getting a hold of the city's information was crucial, and with information from actual city council members, we are well on our way to getting the information we need. So long as the others get the call to the people for the oral history, we'll definitely accomplish our goals.

In general, things are going pretty well. As for myself, I'm enjoying the work at the MFC, and as a class, we're moving right along on our data gathering. It was a slow start on both projects, but I think that once we get going on these things, everything will fall into place just right, and rightly so.

Catholic Identity and Social Responsibility

I think it is interesting that the subject of religion be brought up and how the Catholic identity of Loras is suppose to make us more socially responsible in this world. I have mixed feelings on this.

There are many people that do not attend masses at Loras, but are still very responsible. You see this at many schools that have no religious affiliation. These people sometimes have more "freedom" because they won't necessarily be criticized for their views because they aren't Catholic or aren't Christian. However, they are socially responsible just the same.

I'm Catholic, and I go to mass nearly ever Sunday. However, with the reasoning above, I don't know if a strong Catholic identity is necessarily a good thing for social responsibility. It definitely can be, but if people become overly identified with the Catholic identity and aren't open to other ideas, then the negative effects can set in, and that can be considered sin in the Catholic church. This is where I think Loras does do a pretty good job. Most of the Catholic identity courses that Loras offers discusses various religions. Our own Catholic identity course discussed Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism. I believe that understanding these various religions is what makes us more socially responsible in today's world.

Think about it for a second. How did most of the wars of the world begin? It usually had a religious cause. Someone didn't agree with another, and before you know it, countries are trying to kill off other countries and thousands, sometimes millions, of lives are lost. All because the leaders did not think the other person was right...thus they didn't deserve to exist. That is much of what I see today. There are many people who are quite narrow minded and do not see both sides of the bridge. They only see their own shore and stick with it for dear life. Low and behold, there is another side, and it seems that if someone tries crossing that bridge, they get blown to $h^t.

That is why I believe Loras does do a decent job at educating us on more than just Catholicism. This makes us more socially responsible because it gives us the opportunity to discuss other views and consider them in our solutions to various social and economic issues that face us today. We all need to work together, and that is one thing that I learned from my religion classes in high school and at Loras.

Learning Plan Version 0.1

Individual service site

Name of organization and location:
The Dubuque Multicultural Family Center

Name of contact who will serve as supervisor and reviewer
Madeline Cairney

Description of duties/activities
Help in creating programs for grade school youth with the help of the other volunteers at the MFC. Also, I will simply be available to the children to tutor mathematics. Furthermore, I will help with the Future Talk girls and their involvement in seeking colleges.

Learning plan

What are your goals? Why did you choose these goals? How do they relate to coursework at Loras?
My main goal is simply to be available to the children. At the very least, I want the children to know that I’ll be there to help them with math or just a cool guy to play some games with. It would definitely be great to have awesome programs, but the relationships that can be built are crucial. Some of these children don’t have any constants in life, so for as long as I can, I’d like to be there for them.
These goals really relate to the coursework at Loras because they focus on relationship, and relationship not only with myself, but with the children and the community.

Means to the goals. What will you be doing to help you reach your goals?
In order to reach my goal, I need to be at the MFC at the times I have set. Though it is only Wednesday and Friday, if I’m consistently at the center on those two days, I will set a pattern that the kids will hopefully get to know.


Assessments. How do I know whether or not I met my goals? How close did I come?
In order to assess this goal, all I’ll have to do is go to the MFC and when the children come they just have to smile when they see me. That will be the measure of my goal.

What can I give?

What can I give to society? Recently, I was reminded by a professor who just retired, that I wrote something about having a job that gives back to society. I used to think that I was pretty selfish--and I was--but I did not know that I thought like that three years ago. So, as an engineer and mathematician, I can give my skills. Just down at the Multicultural Family Center this evening, I helped two children with their math homework. It was definitely rewarding to me to see them understand the problem after I talked it through with them. I can also help fix people's cars or help them out with housing projects, and I've done all that. But I always feel that something is missing.

I was also recently reminded today that sometime I give too much (though through my eyes, I think I can give much more). Sometimes, I don't let love in after it is given out. So what I got from this (and the person who reminded me is very dear to me), was that relationship is what I can give when I leave Loras. And with relationships, there is a two-way street. Each has to give a little in order to avoid a collision. It doesn't matter if it's at the job, at a restaurant, far away, near by, or simply at home, relationship is what we must give to other people. Whether that means stopping to help someone with a flat tire or simply smiling at someone who looks down, that is what we all must give.

With society now-a-days, it seems that relationship is getting further away from people. We walk around with iPods, talk on the cell phone as we walk the streets, and many other things (I'm guilty of it too), but all these things seem to take us further away from the important things in life. And now, especially, since the economy is unstable, people are going to be worried about money or could fall into depression easily. It's sad how much control money has on people today. That means we must do our best to make the people we care about feel important so that money won't rule their lives. I know a few gentlemen at work who have never had a serious relationship or even cared about another person--by the sounds of it, not even their parents much--they live purely on money...and I used to be like that as well. But now, I have seen that just one relationship has opened my eyes to let me see that relationship is the key to helping others. I am so thankful for that person; I make sure she knows my gratitude.

The only way to face such an issue is to go out into the world everyday with an open mind. That is the key. If you have an open mind, you can ask interesting questions and learn more about others while they ask about you. Thus completing the two way street.

The only real doubt that I have is that honest sometimes can get one into trouble. I'm not hesitating, but I've seen this happen before. Someone is honest and hard working while another is lazy and irresponsible. Unfortunately, a boss or someone likes the lazy person and gives he/she a raise. The honest worker doesn't get his/her fair share. However, I know who the better person is, but it bothers me a bit, and it really makes people hesitate.

Take for instance, a class at Loras. A student wants to say something to the professor but is afraid that if he/she speaks, the professor will lower his/her grade on the next paper. We all know this is wrong, but there are people who do this, and it drives me nuts. I, personally, cannot stand to watch someone who just told me they don't like something and want to suggest something different and then don't say anything at all, even when given multiple opportunities. It is best to be honest, but people have seen the honest man lose, and that makes people fearful.

That is much like the narrator. He is honest and is looking for a job with his "letters of recommendation." However, he didn't know that the letters weren't recommending him for any job. He trusted that they would get him to where he needs to go. However, his trust caused him to lose quite a bit, and it made him a bit angry. This is much like what I see in some people. They see this in books and movies, and then they become afraid themselves of the consequences of honesty.

All-in-all, I know that I want to be trustworthy, putting myself out there for others. I want to grow relationships, and I want to be there for those that love me. I am fortunate, and I have the obligation to share my good fortune with others. That's what I want to offer to others as I leave Loras. I just hope I can live up to my words.

The Liberal Arts and Service

I'm not gonna lie. When I first experienced a true liberal arts class at Loras, I HATED IT! I thought, "Why am I wasting my time taking these classes that have nothing to do with my major and my future?" I was utterly wrong in my understanding of liberal arts at the time. I believe it was because it challenged me to be a better human. It challenged me to understand many other points of view and to accept that point of view. I remember arguing about Socrates as Plato during our freshmen year in The Trial and Death of Socrates. It seemed pointless. No side of the argument would budge--either for fear of losing the debate or for fear of diminishing their grade. However, when all was said and done, I came out much different.

Throughout grade school, high school, and my first year at college, I would consider myself EXTREMELY shy. I wouldn't talk to many strangers or ask too many questions for fear that I'd make a fool out of myself. But it seems that the classes that challenged me the most personally--not mentally because engineering and science courses are absolutely brutal on the mind--were the liberal arts classes, my gen-eds. It was in these classes that I could truly question what I believed, and I could learn about many other ways at looking at the world. And though I still truly don't like the way some things are graded and believe that needs to be changes in the way the liberal arts are taught, it still does a great job at preparing us on how to communicate with others. I know that because liberal arts courses aren't graded by tests, people sometimes become scared and don't speak their minds as they should. This can hinder communication within a class, but the overall outcome--at least in my case is excellent. I make sure that I state my opinion when I can. I also don't want to be someone who kisses my bosses butt, but one who is respected for stating the facts and sticking to them...being an honest man, a man of my word.

Now because I believe communication is key and that I built a lot on my communication skills through my liberal arts education, it is only reasonable to state that the liberal arts education really prepares us for the "real world." Just the other day out at John Deere, I was talking to my mentor. He told me the story as to how I got hired, and I was impressed at myself (I hope I can live up to my expectations). However, I learned that many of the skills that I learned through my liberal arts education really helped me stand out. There are quite a few people that share the same technical skills of a good engineer, but excellent communication skills are what set engineers apart. And Lord knows how hard it is sometimes to find an engineer with good communication skills :).

As for preparing for service work, the liberal arts are crucial. Again, because communication is the key to dealing with people, the liberal arts are a way that can help us to try and understand the people that are helped and the people we work with. At times, we will be challenged because of our different points of view, and if we're not careful, maybe by stereotypes as well. It is our liberal arts education that is suppose to help guide us in understanding all stances while maintaining our own unique perspective. Therefore, I believe the liberal arts helps us prepare for service by sharping our communication skills and broadening our understanding of the vastness of the people of the world.

Now Martha Nussbaum, author of Cultivating Humanity, states that, "Liberal education in our colleges and universities is, and should be, Socratic, committed to the activation of each student's independent mind and to the production of a community that can genuinely reason together about a problem, not simply trade claims and counterclaims." This is exactly what I mean when I say that we must express our unique points of view while also understanding the other sides of the issue. That way, people can reason together rather than argue and fight about holding different points of view.

Also, Nussbaum mentions that, "This is because these people have never stopped to ask themselves what they really stand for, what they are willing to defend as themselves and their own." This hits the nail on the head for me. I really used to be afraid to state my point, even if I knew that I was correct. However, once I questioned myself as to why I did not say what needed to be said, I learned that something had to change. I needed to speak up when I felt strongly (but I have to be careful to understand the other person as well) about something. Once people learn that you speak what is true, and that you reach that truth through reason, they will, at the very least, learn to respect you for your reasoning and understanding. I think it is truly sad when people are too afraid to speak their mind...because the truth never gets out if people don't speak for it.

Overall, this is a topic that I hold dear. I really, really hated the idea of the liberal arts (and like I said, I still don't agree with everything but that's another ten page story). However, I have learned of its benefit throughout college and especially outside of college. A liberal arts education opens up many doors for people, and it also opens the doors between people. It is the key to open the door to worthwhile service.

Wisdom and Service Learning

Well, we all got to read about Socrates again as a class. However, our focus now is on wisdom rather than justice. Now this wisdom is something that alludes Socrates. It is something that Socrates has been in search for all his life.

An oracle once said that the wisest man alive is Socrates, so, Socrates went out to try and prove the oracle wrong. He went to the "wisest" people he knew and began to ask them questions. Much to his surprise, they didn't know that much. In fact, they seemed to be very ignorant in the eyes of Socrates. Therefore, after hounded by Socrates with all these questions, these people didn't take to liking Socrates at all. And he did this for politicians, artists, poets, and many more prominent people in Greek society.

Socrates, after numerous encounters, stated that, "Well, although I do not suppose that either of us knows anything really beautiful and good, I am better off than he is--for he knows nothing, and thinks that he knows. I neither know nor think that I know" (Apology pages 31-32). This was the same conclusion after conversing with all these types of "wise" people.

Now the question comes up, "Where do we find this type of wisdom in today's society?" Well, I can't say that I always see it in higher education, nor do I see it in too many young people today. However, I see it in the men and women who have experienced many things throughout their lives, both hardships and great joy. These people with varying degrees of experiences are usually those that accept others for who they are no matter what. They understand that no one person is right or wrong, but agree that we are all one on this big ole thing we call Earth. These "wise" people do not see in color, nor do they see money as a means of measure. They simply see people. They see people for who they are and what they have experienced. This is what being wise truly is. It is a state that allows a person to enjoy the experience of interaction with many people and learning about others' experiences. And the great thing is, once one is wise, it seems to be a continuing cycle of becoming wiser because more connections will be made through more interactions. And more interactions means the sharing of more experiences.

Wow! I didn't know that this thing was actually going to come full circle with service learning, but I think I somehow managed to join it up. This wisdom that I've been speaking of is achieved in many ways. However, rereading the passage I wrote above, I see that service learning, when taken seriously and given a serious effort, can lead people to become wise. I have met many people that have given lots of time to service and service organizations, and each and every one of these people seems to be very wise when it comes to dealing with people in general. They seem to always think globally about the issues and the people involved. They are the ones who seem to be very wise in my eyes.

I've also learned another great thing about these "wise" people. They know that they cannot make a whole lot of change on his or her own. However, they do their thing every day and try to spread awareness of the issues they're involved in to try and help people by those means. If they were naive, they would simply take charge of everything and try to "change the world." But they do their tasks everyday, and they are changing the world the long and hard way--which is the only way since change is usually not taken too lightly.

Now, I believe this writing from Plato is something that first went in and out my brain when I read this for class three years ago. However, this time is a bit different. I do remember much of what I read, and surprisingly so, I have taken a message out of it. I believe that through these last three years, I have taken Socrates' meaning of wisdom to heart. I have learned that the smartest people are not always the wisest, and I see that in daily life. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that "The wisest are the willing." They are the ones who put in the extra effort in order to understand, and they are amazing people--my girlfriend is one of these people, and she'd never admit to being wise. These are the people that hear about an issue and conduct research before jumping to a conclusion. These are the people who have a deep understanding of humanity, and I definitely look up to these people whenever I run across one.

So, it seems that being wise is knowing that there is a lot to be learned and that you'll never know enough. Being wise is experiencing what all humans endure, but knowing that there are another few billion stories to understand before coming to a conclusion. No one person is wise, but we all have wisdom. And when we work together to help others, our wisdom is multiplied.

Introduction

Service Learning...it seems to be an excellent way to learn how to make change in a society that cannot be complacent. However, there are many challenges that one must overcome to feel like he or she is making a difference.

I'm a college undergraduate student at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, enrolled in a class called Honors Service Learning. It is a senior capstone class that involves two large service projects: the first is an individual service project, and the second is a group service project. Both of these projects are to be completed within the Washington neighborhood of Dubuque. What makes this experience different for me, is that it involves service on a more personal/relational level than I've ever done before. My most recent service project was in January 2008 in the St. Bernard Parish of New Orleans. There, a group of Loras students--including myself--helped rebuild houses for Hurricane Katrina victims for one week. One week...that isn't much time considering that this service learning project is one whole semester. But maybe this single semester will turn into a lifetime of giving.

I have also been involved in many other service projects, from tutoring CCD students at my home parish of Holy Trinity in Dubuque, to giving a single day of service with my high school class. However, I have faith that my education and experiences through Loras have helped prepare me for this undertaking better than my past experiences. I have learned, from my New Orleans experience, that one week is not enought to feel like you've accomplished anything. My education at Loras has taught me that relationships are what is truly important when trying to make a difference.

One experience that comes to mind from my New Orleans trip is one piece of advice that the Americorp volunteers told us during our orientation. They said not to worry about the quantity of work that we get accomplished, but they said to cultivate the relationships with the people that we are helping and working with. To me, that was an huge shock...I wanted to go down there and take care of business. However, one the first day when we took a lunch break, we ended up talking with the owners for two hours--I felt kind of bad for not getting too much work done, but the relationship that was planted was awesome. Everyone in my group learned alot about what the people of New Orleans had experience and what they are still experiencing today, years after the disaster. These relationships are something that I definitely learned to cherish through my experience at Loras.

Through this particular course, I hope to continue that work of building meaningful relationships. Through this, I hope to learn exactly how I'd like to spend my time after graduation--service is definitely something that I would like to get in the habit of (my girlfriend definitely helped me figure out that there are much more important things in life than cars and four-wheelers). If I one build relationships with those I helped, then that single person can definitely make a difference in people's lives. I believe there is a saying that says if even one life breaths easier because of something someone does, then that person lived a successful life.

Walking down White Street in Dubuque (part of the Washington neighborhood), something I do nearly everyday, gives me the feeling that there is a lot that needs attention in Dubuque. I've lived here all my life, and I've always known that this city was never perfect, however, walking it this time, knowing that I would finally be forced into a routine to help this neighborhood gave me a sense of eagerness. There are many run down houses, but there are also many houses that have been redone or are in the process of being restored. All-in-all, it looks like an area that most towns have. It is also easy to tell that the people that live in the area may have a difficult time paying rent or finding a job--thus the houses deteriorate in condition. There also appears to be trouble with some of the residents' family lives. Just the other night as I was driving home from work, I witnessed a husband and a wife arguing outside in a way that many would look down upon. That is one thing that would be great to help, bring unity to some of the families, but it is probably the most difficult of all tasks. There is definitely alot of areas that need help, and I have confidence that our class can maybe help some of the residents in the Washington neighborhood in some way. I know, I know...but someone will say that anyone going to do service will feel the same way. But I truly want to help and think that improvements can be made. I know that after everyone is finished with their service that it may not seem that we've accomplished anything there. However, if we've even helped one person, we can consider our work a success. We must always be positive, and persevere when times get difficult, and they will.