ASC VII (2015-16)

Community — Michael Bellinger ’09, SMU ’15
The Alumni Service Corps gives you the opportunity to come back and give a year of service to the school community. The members participate or have a part in many aspects of the school from being a coach, chaplain, faculty mentor for service sites, retreat leader, and teaching SJPP. This experience allows you to take a step back and breathe a bit before taking that next step to a career. The program helps and provides the tools for you to cultivate your spiritual, professional, and moral ideals. My experience in the program has been great thus far from being a faculty leader on retreats so I could share my journey of faith and life with students, to helping the swimming and golf teams grow in their faith through participating in sports. I also teach Social Justice and Public Policy to seniors. I have found that teaching SJPP has been a rewarding and challenging experience because it allowed me to look at how I view the world and how I want my students to grow and change it. In the end this is an experience like no other because you get to volunteer your time to a school that you love. I consider myself lucky and privileged to be able to come back and serve Jesuit.

Service — Anthony Tarzi ’11, Alabama ’15
For me the ASC program has been an opportunity to dedicate a year of my life to service. I could've gone on and pursued my master's degree right after graduating from college. However, I felt that the ASC program was a chance to give back to a place that had a lasting impact in my formation as a man. The opportunity to come back to Jesuit and truly be a Man for Others, is not something that comes along every day. Being back at Jesuit allows you to see how much the Jesuit culture stays intact despite the constant changing of students and the society in which they grow. This environment may change over the years, but it still feels just as welcoming as it did when I took my first steps as a freshman into the Hall of Honors. While some of the old guard moves on from time to time and new faces have taken their place, the Jesuit mission remains the same. No matter where you are on your personal faith journey it is easy to understand that the formation of these young men (to be active in bettering all facets of society) is something we can all take pride in. To be a part of that formation is truly a fulfilling experience and something that is worth your time and effort in this year of service.

Spirituality — Sullivan McCormick ’11, Boston College ’15
I define spirituality as one’s personal relationship with God; one’s personal relationship with a higher power. Implicit in that definition is the relational aspect of spirituality, and the notion God wants to enter our lives. God met me in the ASC program and sparked a desire for spiritual maturity. The ASC program provides critical building blocks and models for spiritual growth. ASC Formation Nights foster spiritual dialogue and reflection. Participating in Kairos retreats allows me to witness the abundance of love in student’s lives and allows me to interact with students through conversation in small group settings. Working with the community service department reinforces the value of service and its formative influence on young men. Attending a weekly Mass with the Jesuits followed by dinner grants me the opportunity to learn from the Jesuits and inspires me to emulate their way of live. Overall, my exposure to Jesuit principles which began in high school has come full circle with the ASC program. Because of the ASC program I feel motivated to continue to evolve in my relationship with God. I feel motivated to find God in all things, no matter how troublesome, mundane, or routine those things may seem.

Simplicity — John Thompson ’11, Tufts ’15
Simplicity allows us to focus our efforts on service. Whether through not worrying about how we will pay our rent, or through sharing a meal on Monday evenings with the Jesuits at the school, our day-to-day lives are focused instead on what is important for this year: serving the students and the greater Jesuit community. We have been fortunate to be able to devote ourselves more fully in the classroom, on the field and in the hallways, making connections with the faculty and students that are truly unique. Simplicity also gives us the gift of time for reflection, so that we can take what we have experienced throughout the day and learn more about ourselves and God's role in our lives. The goal of the program for us to live “simply” during the year is a welcome break from our complicated world, and it gives us a chance to reflect on our futures as we serve in a place we all call home.