What a summer this has been! Now in the midst of my internship, my experiences have become more varied and often more consumed with meaning than before. Arguably my most impactful experience has been working with the local community through not only my position as a van assistant, but also and primarily through grant writing. In order to best serve the community, assuring proper funding for programming is critical, and as such, my grant writing work attains a level of spirituality to it that doesn’t necessarily apply to other applications; since I’ve been able to see firsthand the kind of work that Compass does, I’ve seen what I am writing for and why what I am doing is essential for the wellbeing of the community. Compass’ work isn’t and cannot be free, so as such, grant writing becomes a lifeline that is required for the continuation and propagation of the ideals of the founders. I am able to further the objectives of the nonprofit, the organization giving the grant, and ultimately, the Kingdom of Heaven by fulfilling the ideals of the Beatitudes of Matthew 5. Furthermore, my continued social media work also ties into this; I’ve been able to expand Compass’ outreach considerably, and as such, we will be able to reach more people and better administer Christ’s love to the Valparaiso community.
In addition, due to the location of my internship, I’ve been able to maintain my bonds with my
Church and community in town. I have been able to continue volunteering at Cafe Manna, the
community meal offered at the St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Student Center, in conjunction with
developing the young adult community at that same parish. Northwest Indiana is blessed to
have a thriving group of young Catholic adults, and because I’m located in Valpo, I’ve been able
to spend time with them while furthering my understanding of the needs of Valparaiso citizens.
Seeing what drives key aspects such as employment, food stability, as well as funding has
made a significant impact on how I view needs within the community. The lack of monolithicity (or diversity of perspectives) and the individual encounters I have had with so many people have shown me the multifaceted ways in which Christ is present in others, and because of this, I have come to better understand the necessity of organizations and events that build strong supportive communities.
I hope to utilize these skills in my professional life by applying the amount of knowledge I’ve
gained about organizational leadership and community building to the workplace. I believe doing so will empower both me and allow me to better fulfill my purpose of establishing Christ’s
kingdom on earth. I again would like to thank everyone who has helped me come this far;
without your support, I would not be where I am today. Thank you!
Matthew Landrum, Compass International Family Center