Service is one of the four Dominican Charisms that Aquinas College is rooted in. Over fall break, Aquinas College students traveled across the country and abroad to both help others and learn about their cultures and communities. Students took part in service-learning trips organized by Campus Ministry to Baltimore, South Dakota, Maine, West Virginia, and the Dominican Republic.

Students participating in the South Dakota trip stayed on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Here, they worked with the organization Re-Member, which brings groups together to participate in various work projects on the reservation. Aquinas students were able to help out by skirting three different houses, the most of any group that worked with Re-Member this summer. They also assisted project manager interns at Re-Member with their inventory and other tasks. The students also got to visit the Badlands and Wounded Knee. They were able to learn about the culture and history of the Lakota people. Students got to experience first-hand the level of poverty on the reservation. “Poverty is different in every community,” said Senior Jess Venlet, “but they are really hopeful.”

Students also participated on a trip to Baltimore, Maryland. Students on this trip stayed with Jonah House, a faith based community dedicated to non-violent resistance with the goal of nuclear disarmament. According to Senior Paul Wizniuk, they were able to “experience the type of community that has been established at Jonah house and experience what it’s like in their everyday life.” Students experienced daily morning prayers and reflections. Students helped cook meals, work in the garden, clear brush and other activities for the community.

Nazareth Farm is a Catholic community in rural West Virginia that focuses on prayer, service, community and simplicity. Aquinas students spent a week helping others without the distractions of everyday life, utilizing only bucket showers and not wearing make-up or other accessories. According to Senior Kristina Krausman, the students were able to get to know each other and the two other schools participating for “who they were, not what they looked like.” Aquinas students helped build and fix roofs, chop wood and maintain the farm’s garden. Krausman said that the eight Aquinas students formed their own tight knit community on the trip. She also added that the best part of the trip was the community aspect “because they (Nazareth Farm) focus on getting to know each other.”

Twelve other students made the drive to the eastern coast of Maine to work in the Acadia National Park. The students volunteered their time to the organization Friends of Acadia, and assisted in the maintenance of the park’s carriage roads. They also re-did the path through the Wild Gardens of Acadia, a garden that features all of the plant-life that can be found in the National Park. After the day’s work was finished, the students were able to experience the park by hiking mountain trails and the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. Along with the trail-work, the students were able to learn about the history of the park as well as how the National Park system and Friends of Acadia work together in keeping Acadia National Park a desired destination for millions of travelers.

Another group of Aquinas students traveled outside of the country to serve others. El Llano, Dominican Republic another destination for the fall-break service-learning trips. A group of eight helped give vitamins, weigh children and give injections at three medical clinics in the mountains near the Dominican Republic and Haitian border. The students also helped bring kids from the clinics to the town of Las Matas. Here, they brought children to the Sisters of Charity Nutritional Center and helped feed the children at lunch. Aquinas students worked with the organization FUMSIL and helped out in whatever capacity they could, whether it be playing with the children or passing out vitamins in El Llano.

Each service-learning trip offered different challenges and unusual ways to serve others. New and exciting experiences were had by all of the participants. They were able to not only help but also learn about a large group of people. They learned more about the members of their Aquinas family and themselves.