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Young Alumni Serve through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps

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St. Ignatius Loyola, the 16th-century founder of the Jeuits, once wrote that “love ought to manifest itself in deeds and not words.” This year, 19 recent Fordham graduates have taken his words to heart and joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) and JVC Northwest.

Through the two organizations, these alumni have been placed in one- to two-year positions in nonprofit and community resource organizations like schools, faith-based centers, food banks, and homeless shelters, where they work directly with the local population to address myriad social, educational, and environmental concerns. It’s this immediacy that past Fordham volunteers say creates such a strong bond between Jesuit Volunteers (JVs) and the local community.

“Our JVs are fully committed to living intentionally and authentically in relationship with those on the margins of society,” says Tim Shriver, president of JVC.

Each year, members of the Fordham community complete more than 1 million hours of volunteer work in New York City and throughout the world—a commitment recognized earlier this year by Washington Monthly, which ranked the University No. 28 in the country in service, educating students who give back to society. Besides JVC, Fordham alumni are also strongly represented in the Peace Corps, with 15 alumni currently serving worldwide and a total of 446 having served in the Corps since it was founded in 1961.

Sarah Champlin and Gianna Sciangula, new Jesuit Volunteers

From left: Sarah Champlin and Gianna Sciangula, new volunteers with JVC

The alumni now serving as Jesuit Volunteers majored in various subjects at Fordham, including mathematics, English, psychology, environmental policy, philosophy, and humanitarian studies. But despite their diverse interests, they all share the same drive for creating positive change.

 

Since 1977, 220 Fordham alumni have served with JVC. Here is a complete list of Fordham graduates who are beginning their service as Jesuit Volunteers this year:

Jesuit Volunteer Corps
Deborah Adewale, FCLC ’15, St. Francis Mission, St. Francis, South Dakota
Anna Teresa (Tessa) Bloechl, FCRH ’16, St. Peter Claver High School, Dodoma, Tanzania
Chris Boland, FCRH ’16, St. Matthew Catholic School, Phoenix, Arizona
Julia Casey, FCRH ’16, South Bay Community Services, San Diego, California
Sarah Champlin, FCRH ’16, Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, Camden, New Jersey
Clare Deck, FCRH ’16, Casa Marianella, Austin, Texas
Katelyn (Kate) Dooley, FCRH ’16, Catholic Charities Community Services, Phoenix, Arizona
Anthony (AJ) Golio, FCRH ’16, Harry Tompson Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
Kathryn (Grace) Hulseman, FCRH ’16, Hand in Hand Ministries, Belize City, Belize
Shannon Marcoux, FCRH ’16, Xavier High School, Chuuk-Xavier, Micronesia
Madeline Ping, FCRH ’16, St. John the Evangelist Catholic School, Tucson, Arizona
Matt Rogacki, FCRH ’16, My Friend’s Place, Los Angeles, California
Gianna Sciangula, FCLC ’15, Link Community Charter School, Newark, New Jersey

Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest
Carolyn Ambrosich, FCRH ’16, Second Harvest, Spokane, Washington
Elaine (Laney) Danielczyk, FCRH ’16, Low Income Housing Institute/Urban Rest Stop, Seattle, Washington
Mark Espina, FCRH ’16, Catholic Charities of Spokane, Spokane, Washington
Cara McClane, FCRH ’16, Catholic Community Services, Tacoma, Washington
Alyssa Melendez, FCRH ’16, Gorge Grown Food Network, Hood River, Oregon
Emily Tormey, FCRH ’16, Recovery Café, Seattle, Washington

—Emily Mendez

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