The Heart of Service: Inside the Office of Community Engagement

The Office for Community Engagement (OCE) at Sacred Heart University serves as a place to connect campus to community resources to support the common good. The OCE aims to teach students social responsibility through partnering with different organizations both on and off campus. 

OCE Director Annie Johnson said their goal is to create change through partnering with different nonprofit and school-based partners. 

“Our goal is to connect the campus with local, national, and global communities to create high impact opportunities that address social justice issues and develop students who are committed to creating a more just and equitable world,” said Johnson. 

There are many different volunteer opportunities for students who are interested, according to Johnson. Some of these volunteer programs include going to local schools, food banks, soup kitchens and senior centers. The OCE also offers long-term weekly mentoring programs, where SHU students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with local Bridgeport students. 

“The Office of Community Engagement offers annual global service-learning programs during spring break and the May intercession period. We travel to Colombia, Costa Rica, Greece, Dingle and Kenya!” said Johnson. 

Through working with community partners, students can gain the experience of addressing social justice issues and creating a more just and equitable world. The OCE also works with different on-campus organizations, such as the College of Health Professions for their annual “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” event. The OCE also partners with Student Government and the Athletics department, to host the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. 

One of the OCE’s community partners, nOURish Bridgeport aims to bring healthy food to those who struggle with food insecurity in the area. 

President and CEO Rev. Sara Smith, SHU’s Protestant Chaplain, started nOURish 15 years ago in hopes of using food as a bridge to feed people, while building community. The OCE partners with nOURish through service-learning programs. Service-learning programs are courses where working with community partners are integrated into the curriculum. 

“Students come here as a service-learning opportunity. Public health students come every semester to learn about our farm,” said Smith. “We want to be one of the leaders in not only getting food to people who are food insecure, but we want to change why that problem exists.” 

SHU students can give back to the community and get involved with nOURish by making their own donations. 

“When students are getting groceries, they can buy a little extra for noURish. Students have done food drives for us, even in the dorms during Thanksgiving. We also take cash donations, but for college students, they can share what they have,” said Smith. 

The OCE also works with on-campus programs, such as the English as a Second Language (ESL) program, and the English Language Institute (ELI). ESL and ELI at SHU is a program made to support non-native English speakers develop language skills for professional, academic, and social success. 

The program is available for graduate and undergraduate students, international students, as well as community members who are looking to improve their skills. The OCE provides volunteer opportunities where SHU students can be conversation partners or tutors for ESL students. The OCE also partners with the program to facilitate service-learning projects where students can learn cultural appreciation. 

Aliss Obeid, the ESL Program Director said that ESL/ELI offers students an opportunity to better understand English speaking environments. 

“The goal of the program is to equip students with the proficiency and confidence needed to navigate an English-speaking academic environment and to achieve their personal and professional aspirations. Through intensive coursework, the program emphasizes reading, writing, listening, speaking, and cultural competency,” said Obeid. 

The ESL/ELI program hosts a variety of events and activities throughout the academic year. Activities range from having conversations with partners, to exploring American cuisine and going on trips to museums and farms. 

“Additionally, we organize a Community Service Day in partnership with the Office of Community Engagement to foster collaboration and mutual learning between students and the community,” said Obeid. 

The OCE offers many different volunteer opportunities for students and student-organizations to get involved with. Students who are interested in learning about and getting involved with the OCE can visit the office in HC 109 or visit https://sacredheart.givepulse.com/group/499828-Sacred-Heart-University. 

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