Summer 2004

A Letter from the Executive Director

NYSP Opens Notre Dame to Children on the Margins
On the first day of the National Youth Sports Program, a continuous line of South Bend children stream off the bus at Notre Dame’s Stepan Center to begin 25 days of sports, arts and education.

Changing the Way Academic Institutions Engage the Community
 In the following Q&A, Mary Beckman, Ph.D, associate director of Academic Affairs & Research at the Center, explores the changes within the community-based learning field and at the Center. In a future newsletter, she will continue this exploration, articulating the elements of a broad “community engagement pedagogy.”

‘A Teacher & Researcher with Passions for Justice and Education’
When the Center for Social Concerns created the Rodney F. Ganey Award three years ago, the goal was to support and encourage collaboration between Notre Dame, its students and the South Bend community. In a room full of these partners last April, the Center again recognized the efforts of Notre Dame students and faculty to engage their local community.

Mini-Grants Fund Exploration of South Bend’s Industrial Roots, Develop Students’ Writing
In order to stimulate partnerships between faculty, students and the local community, the Center for Social Concerns developed the Rodney F. Ganey Faculty Community-Based Mini-Grants. For 2004, the two Ganey Mini-Grants went to foster efforts to explore South Bend’s industrial past and to support educational effort in the South Bend Schools.

The Dharma that Binds Us: Notes from Phnom Penh
In the following letter, Peter Quaranto writes about his experience with his placement in Cambodia as part of the International Summer Service Learning Program. Quaranto is a junior political science and international peace studies double major from Franklin, Massachusetts.

Postgraduate Service: Report Investigates Who Serves & Why
The Center for Social Concerns recently published the seventh installment of its Research Report series, “As Learning Becomes Service to Justice: Postgraduate Service Participation.”

Meeting at the White House
In June, Fr. Bill Lies, CSC (right), attended a White House Conference on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (FBCI) designed to assist social service organizations in garnering more federal funds. As part of the conference, Fr. Lies was invited by Jim Towey (center), Director of the White House FBCI, to continue the discussion the next day at a breakfast held at the White House.