“I cannot talk enough about SSLP (Summer Service Learning Program). You immerse yourself in 8 weeks of service after a few preparation classes, and wrap up with reflection sessions in the fall. I opted to serve at Hesed House, a homeless shelter in Aurora, Illinois. I’d never had experience working with homelessness before.

“So for 8 weeks, I was completely immersed in the culture of Hesed House. Our schedule involved serving in every way imaginable. But my favorite opportunity by far was the nighttime meals. When we ate and talked, I could get to know residents better, but I also made new friends. Holding conversations with so many people was undeniably humbling. I met some residents who have been guests of Hesed House long-term. And it wasn’t that they’re not making progress—it’s that some people need more time. Meals also helped me to realize that there are a lot of people at Notre Dame who think similarly to me. The guests were a reminder that there are countless other perspectives—they helped keep me grounded in remembering that my opinion is not necessarily the right one.

“Getting to know the guests honestly taught me to love people a lot more. It didn’t matter that they were homeless—they’re not different from anyone else I’ve ever met. I truly consider the guests my friends. And without this program, I wouldn’t have been exposed to their situation. I wouldn’t have met these friends.

“I strove to take every opportunity possible. No SSLP student before me had slept in the low-threshold sector of the overnight area, so I asked if I could. One night, while sleeping there, I came down with some sort of sickness. I ended up leaving the overnight area, but it put me in a position to think: what do you do if you’re sick in a homeless shelter, surrounded by countless other people, and you can’t just return to your SSLP-provided room?

 “Along those lines, I made a pact with myself to try to make at least one person happy every day. I knew, going into the session, that I couldn’t change the world in two months. But during bad days, when I wasn't sure if I had done anything, someone would thank me for my positivity, or recall a piece of advice I gave them, or the time I lent them a helping hand. Moments like those were indescribably fulfilling.

“I don’t know where I’ll end up in my future, but this experience solidified my decision to be involved with a nonprofit organization. I’m obsessed. This summer, I found renewed joy in people. You can study all you want, pass your entrance exams into college and graduate school—but if you don’t know how to interact with people, how to love people, you’re not going to get everything out of life. And I really firmly believe in talking to people, in relationships, in loving everyone with everything you’ve got.”