What is the Service Trip?

At the heart of Saint Martin's University's mission is the value of service. Service is done in mutuality and respect—it is an integral part of social justice. To serve others is to work for a more humane and peace-filled world. Campus Ministry's 2012 Service Trip to Cincinnati, Ohio offers students the opportunity to explore the realities of poverty and homelessness in American society and work for a more just society. Cooperating with Cincinnati non-profits, participants will examine thoughtfully and with others the issues of community, social justice and Christian faith and spirituality. Part of our experience this year will be to live in simple community with each other in prayer and reflection, putting the core values of faith, reason, service and community into practice.

What do I learn?

John Hopkins, associate dean of student affairs, states "becoming an effective participant in service-learning requires deep reflection and critical consciousness about social justice issues." Prior to the service trip, students will be required to participate in various preparatory workshops that focus on social justice, oppression theory, Catholic social teaching, and contemporary social issues around race, class, gender and disability. Doing so develops the needed skills of multicultural understanding, cross-cultural communication and authentic allyship. These combined workshops will be available for course credit, culminating in the Service Trip at the conclusion of the semester. Susan Leyster, director of Campus Ministry, believes this opportunity should be available to all students and works hard to ensure the cost of the Service Trip is kept to $150. This is achieved through fund-raising and donations.

Where have you gone?

Campus Ministry has taken from twelve to twenty-two students for the last ten years on its annual May Service Trip. In the past they have traveled to Vanceburg, Kentucky to work with the Glenmary Fathers, Newburg, New York and Birmingham, Alabama to join with Habitat for Humanity, Browning, Montana to help the LaSalle Brothers and Washington, DC to work with Covenant House. For the past two years, Campus Ministry has chosen to serve with the Franciscans for the Poor in Cincinnati, Ohio. Sites are chosen that are culturally different than the Pacific Northwest. Many of our students have not traveled out of Washington State. This is a wonderful opportunity to broaden volunteers' understanding of the causes of poverty, oppression and injustice—and how their life choices can impact these issues.

How do I apply?

For more information please contact Susan Leyster by email or phone at 360-789-6701. Applications are available to download here.