Between our school’s rigorous academic, athletics, art programs, and numerous other extra-curricular activities, one cannot help but be impressed by the student body’s heavy involvement in volunteer and service. Under the direction of Daniel Forbes, through the Meelia Center, and of course, with the essential contributions of student leaders and volunteers, there are endless opportunities to serve within the community, accessible to even the most committed of students.
1989 is when it all started. It was in this year that college representatives within the state met in Concord to discuss service between students and the community. Dartmouth College and Saint Anselm College lead the way, having already designated representatives who specialized in service, rather than sending along interested students or faculty. Daniel Forbes, the current director of the Meelia Center was that representative. Since then, our service program has blossomed.
Forbes said, “Saint Anselm was on the cutting edge of community engagement in New Hampshire. We lead the way with service, service learning, and student leadership, and we encouraged other colleges to follow.”
One of Forbes’ jobs is maintaining partnerships between the campus and community sites. With over 50 agencies a year, it is no easy task. The student leaders do an incredible job keeping up with their sites.
Forbes said, “When students have an idea, or a passion, they aren’t shy about it and they don’t wait. So much of my job is trying to keep up with, organize, support and nurture the strong student initiative on this campus. This school builds leaders.”
The Meelia Center offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities. Characteristically, Saint Anselm students are heavily involved in extra-curricular activities, and it can be difficult for some students to find the time to volunteer. One-day service events are held frequently, and are great opportunities for these busier students. These service events always have an impressive turn-out. Forbes said, “One of the most exciting things about these projects is they can go anywhere.” In remembrance of 9/11, Saint Anselm hosted various volunteer opportunities within the community.
But what began as a day of service grew into so much more. One of these projects brought students to Francistown, to the home of a woman whose husband had been quite sick with cancer. The man was very ill and tired of fighting, and the family agreed it would be best to stop utilizing life support. Miraculously, the man lived and recovered enough to return home. Despite his strong desire to be back with his family, the house was unsafe for him to live in.
On the service day, students made great headway in readying the home for his return. Unfortunately, they were unable to leave the house totally safe within this small time frame. Students took the initiative and teams of students continued working on the house, beyond the single day of service.
The man was able to return home before Thanksgiving, and he was able to spend the holidays with his family.
The Meelia Center offers regular volunteer opportunities, as well as single-days of service. There are 125 students who volunteer weekly, as well as 175 students engaged in weekly service-learning at over 50 different sites. They volunteer with a wide range of populations—helping out the elderly, the disabled, the young, the ill, the abused, the homeless, the refugees—the list goes on.
There’s something for everyone at the Meelia Center. These service learning sites are lead by ambitious students with big responsibilities. Forbes said, “The students have not disappointed me yet. I have freshman leaders from the first semester who are actually coaching new hires this semester.”
The benefits of service learning to the community are clear, but what does a student gain? Not only does service learning adhere to one of our Benedictine school’s core values—community service—there is much opportunity for personal growth.
Through service learning, Forbes says, “Education comes alive.” Forbes said, “When students come to the school as freshmen, they’re just trying to find their way in life. They’re not really passionate about what they’re doing, or even sure of what they’re doing. And they’re not aware of all they have to offer.” Service learning brings out the best in students.
Service learning is important for personal development. Through their service, students become more capable and aware of their own talents. They learn skills that extend far beyond the pages of books, and the confines of classroom walls.
In their various volunteer sites, students transform from memorizers to problem solvers and learn how to apply the education they’ve learned critically. By helping out, they gain true compassion and become aware of the struggles and need of other members in the community. Through service learning, students gain a valuable new perspective, and realize how lucky they are and how much they can do.
Service learning is key for the development of relationships. Not only do students meet other students within their sites and build friendships within their school, they also meet members of the community. They learn how to socialize with strangers, and build valuable connections.
Service learning is also beneficial for professional development. Students gain knowledge and experience relevant to their careers. Their curriculum is given real life applications, and in this way the knowledge gained from class stays with the students as they are applying what they know. The student gains a passion for what he or she is studying—a passion that cannot be gained from a lecture or a textbook.
Finally, service learning helps prepare the next generation of citizens. Forbes said, “Active citizenship is critical for the work of this school, the work of this community, the work of this nation, and the work of this world. Today, people are getting away from that and losing their sense of community.”
In our nation today, we see an increase of these detached citizens, who lack the drive to help. However, Saint Anselm is defying this trend. Through its driven student leaders, active volunteers, and countless opportunities, our college is nurturing involved citizens and inspiring others to get involved, too. “This school builds leaders,” said Forbes.
Despite all students and faculty have accomplished, there are still more opportunities and developments on the horizon. Coming up is the 21st Annual Special Needs Valentine Dance, held in our very own Cushing Center, open to members of the community and student volunteers.
“Students always come back” said Forbes. There are also a growing number of programs helping refugee students acclimate to high school, and readying them for college.
Next year, Saint Anselm College will welcome its very first refugee student as a freshman. Forbes said, “I can’t imagine a student who deserves it more.” She is also unique in that this student is the Meelia Center’s earliest hire—as a senior in high school, she already has a position and actually manages the program she was involved in.
Service-learning has so much to offer our community, as well as our school, and there is no limit to what the current projects might blossom to, or what the future holds. “Every semester is an adventure,” said Forbes.