North Park proudly hosted its annual Service Day this month, uniting 230 students, faculty, and staff in a shared commitment to community engagement and social responsibility.
University Ministries (UMin) organized the event under the joint leadership of Ben Swihart, coordinator of global partnerships and community outreach, and third-year student Davianna Schuh. They began planning months ago, organizing lists of local volunteer sites, recruiting volunteers, and communicating with local aldermen and community groups.
“The groups we landed on took inspiration from the climate survey,” Schuh said, referring to the Culturally Engaging Campus Environments Survey conducted in spring 2023. “Across all demographic backgrounds, students wished they had more opportunities to give back to their communities.”
Many North Parkers are commuter students from nearby neighborhoods, so Swihart and Schuh chose organizations primarily on the North and West Sides. Volunteers could choose from sites such as Concordia Place, Nourishing Hope, and Sarah’s Circle, a women’s shelter with multiple locations on the North Side.
“Everyone has something they can feel excited about helping with,” Swihart said. Several students addressed their concern for the disadvantaged by aiding refugees and the homeless while the environmentally minded cleaned the Chicago River.
Swihart said he hopes this year’s event is the first of many and that North Park continues to build long-term relationships with its partner organizations.
“The idea is for them to get to know us, to say, ‘Oh, this North Parker came and built this shelving unit for us last year, or painted this room,’ and they trust us and what we do,” he said, adding he hopes the service also leads to internships and other opportunities for students.
Service is a core pillar of NPU’s mission, which is to foster a culture of empathy and civic responsibility that encourages the campus community to engage with local organizations, thus enhancing our students’ educational experiences and making a tangible impact on the neighborhoods we serve.
