The Cross-Cultural Leadership Internship Program (CCLIP) through the Institute for Latino Studies at Notre Dame provided about 12 students with a stipend and a scholarship to live in L.A., Chicago, and D.C. for eight weeks. CCLIP allows students to work with organization that are attempting to create better communities for ethnic minorities in the U.S. Organizations of interest include MALDEF (Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund), National Council of La Raza (NCLR), Library of Congress, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
This summer, I am interning with NCLR at their regional headquarters in Los Angeles, Calif, focusing on issueso of Latino educational resources. NCLR is a non-profit organization concerned with Hispanic civil rights and education. They focus on “assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status, and health” (1). I am currently working on a handbook that will aid undocumented students, many of whom will hopeully be your classmates and sectionmates now that Notre Dame has made it possible for undocumented students to attend the university.
Are you a leader in your community? Join me at our annual conference in Los Angeles this July!
As Notre Dame students, Catholic Social Teaching is ingrained in every part of our lives. “Catholic” is not both a religion and an informal adjective by coincidence. Through faith and service, we are taught to be a university of selfless, global individuals. While we do succeed in contributing to some of the neediest organizations and parts of the world, many times we fall short of humanizing the individuals behind the charities we aid the most.
Yes, we donate to starving children in Haiti or go on service trips to the barrio of Chicago, but for many, a short week volunteering in a homeless shelter is the only exposure to serious world issues they receive. Many times, it is not until one learns the names, faces, and concrete stories of those they aid that the greatest compassion is developed.
There is no denying that with a college education comes certain privilege. As a first generation college student, I recognize the privilege I possess in being able to attend the University of Notre Dame. Often, we ignore the privilege that is our education and attribute it to our parents wanting us to be successful or to the fact that “that’s just how it is.”
At the same time, we must acknowledge that this gift places us, educated young women (and men), in a position of power to aid those in the greatest need, to increase the success and productivity of our country. While I do think there is a right and wrong way to go about serving others, as one can quickly fall into the newest trend of “voluntourism,” as long as there is goodness in your heart, that should be enough.
As cliché as it is, we are only as strong as the weakest members of our society. Considering the current state of our economy (I heard that phrase on TV so it must be important), current minimum wage and living standards in the U.S., and the continuous decline of the American education system—we are pretty weak as a nation.
Programs like the CCLIP and the Summer Service Learning Program through the Center for Social Concerns provide students with longer exposure to situations that would otherwise be ignored and stigmatized. There are real people who need aid immediately; along with them, there are amazing organizations and individuals that succeed in contributing to the betterment of entire communities through the business of non-profit work.
I realize that Notre Dame is becoming increasingly dominated by the business-inclined. Despite this, non-profit work and service continue to be the focus of a great deal of our curriculum and extra-curricular activities (Even Baraka and Bengal Bouts are all about beating each other up for charity!). As I am learning this summer, behind every great non-profit is the business woman that got it there!
Business is so important to non-profit work, and we tend to forget that a balance is necessary. If you’re considering business for the sole function of working in corporate America and making the big bucks—maybe reconsider and look at how you can use your talents to make the world a better place and help a non-profit organization reach its full potential. If you’re into non-profit work, think about partnering up with somebody who can focus on the business management side of things to help you along the way.
In the following weeks I plan to share stories of the impact various students and organizations have had in their communities, as well as features of some of the Affiliates with which my company, NCLR, works closely. Stay tuned to see how you can get involved right now!
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