“Building a Stronger More Inclusive and Harmonious Community”
Ettling Center for Civil Leadership and Sustainability Leaders Service Trip
The UIW Ettling Center for Civil Leadership and Sustainability (ECCLS) has helped students connect with their local and global communities since 2013. By focusing on leadership, global engagement, advocacy, sustainability and service learning, the ECCLS prepares students to be engaged and informed citizens (uiw.edu/eccls/).
This June, the ECCLS invited a group of seven UIW students to participate in their annual trip to the Rio Grande Valley as part of its work with ARISE Adelante, a nonprofit organization that empowers and supports immigrants in low-income communities in South Texas in their journey of creating a better life for themselves and their loved ones. UIW has collaborated with ARISE since 2015 and has consistently returned to help support the organization’s mission. Each summer, the ECCLS specifically collaborates with ARISE Muñiz, allowing UIW and its volunteers to strengthen their relationships with the community and the ARISE leaders.
Participating students aided in teaching lessons in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) to local children in the region, fostering teamwork, leadership, communication, problem solving and educating them on various fields of study. Students led lessons related to plants, insects, nutrition and more.
Additionally, students were invited to learn about the local community and its culture by attending a bilingual mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan de Valle National Shrine, visiting the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, learning from a virtual immigration information meeting and sharing lunch at the home of one of the community members.
“I enjoyed seeing these seven individuals connect on a deeper level, recognizing a shared humanity and common ground with those they interacted with,” shared Camille Piper, UIW graduate student and trip lead. “They realized how crucial it is for individuals to be active participants by using their skills to build a stronger more inclusive and harmonious community.”
The trip’s seven student volunteers were diverse, including various class years and majors, with some being nontraditional students and veterans. Piper noted that by allowing different individuals to have a shared experience, a wider range of ideas, skills and viewpoints are contributed. During the trip, students were able to engage in multiple productive conversations where they simultaneously learned from those they served and each other and challenged the previous assumptions they may have had about the trip.
“This whole trip has been really impactful and has reassured me greatly in my career goal of wanting to be an educator, not only in STEM but for the youth because I think that we can learn a lot from them,” noted a participating student when reflecting on her experiences. “I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to work with them this whole week. I will definitely carry these memories with me for a long time.”
For many students, to say “goodbye” to the ARISE Muñiz was bittersweet after having connected and learned so much from the community, but many also felt grateful to have been a part of this unique experience. ECCLS leadership also saw how students grew not only as individuals, but as leaders during the seven days of the ARISE trip.
“They (students) overcame self-doubt and beliefs that they could not use their voice and stood up along with their peers and led well,” said Rebecca Sanchez, ECCLS assistant director and trip administrator. “I have no doubt that Sr. Dot, the ECCLS founder, would be so very proud of the work and the legacy that they continued this summer.”