Institute for Leadership and Service Blog

A lot of people think that I am a shy person. But really, I am just an anxious person, and that results in me thinking and rethinking through any possible implications and consequences of any actions or words before doing or saying them. And when I do not pre-think through them, I will post-think through them afterwards. Or both, which can really slow an interaction. Shockingly enough, that kind of hesitation comes across as shy. As I have gotten older and worked on it, this pattern of thinking and hesitation have been steadily decreasing. And this summer specifically, I have gotten to practice a new mentality surrounding social interaction that has really helped. It started at the beginning of the summer. On maybe my second day, one of my supervisors took me to a meeting with her where she was planning an awareness event with a few other representatives of […]

Just like at Valpo, the Grünewald Guild has a walking labyrinth outside, just beyond their central building and right next to the river. Anyone can use it at any point of the day, or night even. I actually heard from someone that they went out to walk it at night and stargaze. We use it during our final Vespers service of each program week too; to meditate on all the things we’ve learned from the week, to center ourselves and find a few minutes of peace and quiet inside our busy bodies. This last week, I started to really pay attention to how the labyrinth walk made me feel in the moment. It’s a triple-spiral, which can mean a lot of things to people depending on their spiritualities, but as you move through the labyrinth, you pass by the spirals you already walked. I’ve been doing a lot of personal […]

As of late July, I have served as a Communications Intern at Grünewald Guild in Leavenworth, WA for two months as part of my placement as a member of the CAPS Fellows Program. Through working in this position, I have exponentially grown to further refine my vision for my vocation as I approach the final year of my academic career at Valparaiso University. The mission of the guild is highlighted through the three core values of art, faith, and community and, since I am a Music and English major, I initially thought I would gravitate my attention mostly towards the value of art during my time here. Surprisingly, that was not that case and I started to primarily focus upon the aspect of community involvement and how it uniquely manifests itself at this non-profit organization. By nature, I have more of an introverted demeanor and it often takes me a […]

Reconnecting with my high school viola teacher after three years brought up her valid question of, “Any updates with what you want to do with your life?” When I replied, “Well, I want to apply for programs to study or teach in another country for a year… Then possibly grad school for something ‘international’…” we both had to pause and laugh; nothing had changed in the three years since we’d last talked. I still didn’t have a set plan. Driving home that afternoon to get back to work with the Valparaiso International Center (VIC), I questioned everything. Why I still didn’t know, why I still didn’t have everything figured out. The following day, my CAPS interview project changed my perspective on everything. For my CAPS interview, I met with Hugh McGuigan, VIC Board President but also a Valparaiso University legend, and hearing about his adventures and international experiences made me […]

As I near the end of my time at Jacob’s Ladder, I am once again given the chance to reflect on the different experiences and opportunities I have been given this summer. Among all the different opportunities that I have had at my placement, the ones that stick out the most to me are those where I could attend other meetings/events in the community. All of the events that I attended gave me the chance to meet new people, have meaningful discussions with others, and learn new information. These events helped me get out of my comfort zone and learn new information that I will carry with me far beyond my time at Jacob’s Ladder.  One of my favorite events that I got to attend was a collaborative meeting with other organizations in Porter County that serve the 0-3-year-old age group. This event served as an opportunity for different non-profit […]

At the beginning of June, I moved to a town I had never visited, to live in a house I had never seen, and to work with people I had only spoken to over Zoom. My family dropped me off, and once I had all of my things arranged, I sat on the bed and had a strange but very familiar feeling wash over me: What do I do now?  I had the whole night ahead of me, but everyone I know and everything I do was scattered everywhere but here. The empty span of time ahead of me felt dizzying. So, I just sat there in the what-now feeling, thinking. I began to think about why this feeling was so familiar to me, and I thought of all of the other transitions I have had like this throughout my whole life: from the five times I moved as a […]

As my internship draws to a close, I’m faced with the same question that I begin the internship with. Why am I working with an environmental non-profit, what difference could I ever make? After all, some of the largest companies in the world will still produce overwhelming amounts of waste byproduct, people will continue to toss their trash out their car window, and large chunks of plastic will always dot our beaches like sick leaves on a dying plant. Trees will be replaced by light poles, native plants by decorative shrubs. Those involved with environmental activism will still bravely stand their ground against those who couldn’t care less and have more money than most people could ever imagine. Quite frankly, my voice seems quite small amid the roaring of those who know more, have more, ARE more than me. In a world where it is much easier to do nothing than […]

As I sit down to write this blog post, one realization crosses my mind. It is the realization that time keeps marching forward, and that is especially true when it comes to summer and my placement. As of the first week of July, I have officially hit the halfway mark of my duties serving Opportunity Enterprises and Camp Lakeside. The phrases “Time flies when you’re having fun” and “You never truly appreciate what you have until it’s gone” perfectly define and encompass what this experience has been. As I look back at what I have accomplished, a lot of it hasn’t felt as actual work. This is not only true for myself, but also for the campers and staff that I interact with on a daily basis. While much of my job is done behind the scenes, I also have many opportunities throughout the week to interact with campers in […]

We often hear the phrase “don’t make excuses, make improvements”. For many, this may be a difficult thing to be told – this kind of statement misses and overlooks the individual nuances and circumstances of the situation we find ourselves in. But despite these challenges, we now find ourselves forced to continue on with no acknowledgement of them. Although I was not aware that I could have a new perspective on this idea, my time so far working in refugee and immigrant resettlement at Heartland Alliance has brought me one. But before I analyze that piece further, I want to take you through my time so far as an intern on the employment team. As I onboarded remotely during my first week, rather than being assigned training to do on the side, I was immediately put on meaningful tasks: calling refugees and immigrants involved with Heartland’s programs (referred to as […]

Now that I have over a month of my CAPS fellowship under my belt, it is easy to slip into a routine and let the day-to-day pass by quickly, and without much thought. May and June were a blur of emails back and forth, numerous to-do lists scribbled on Post-it notes, Zoom call meetings, and countless hours of staring at my computer screen. Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying the work I’m doing and staying busy throughout the long summer days. I enjoy my lists and checking off projects as I complete them. But lately, a little voice in my head has reminded me of the importance of recognizing the small moments of purpose and slowing down before the summer comes to a close. Recently, I am grateful to have had two distinct moments that have not only forced me to slow down and reflect but also that have […]

Curiosity killed the cat is a saying that I have heard throughout my child and young adult life. While it may be true in some situations, the age old saying takes away from what I believe to be one of humanities’ main functions, and that is to explore the unexplored. The Grunewald Guild is an art retreat center, located in the Cascade Mountains, that focuses on exploring the connection between art, faith, and community and how these pillars interact during the weeklong courses. I have had the wonderful opportunity to visit most of these course sessions and photograph them. When I have done this type of work in the past, I always had the feeling that I was a fly on the wall, trying to blend into the background as to not disturb the class. However, the classes here immediately incorporate me into their community. Sometimes the instructor will start […]

As a child, I loved attending a certain small festival in a downtown Valparaiso parking lot that sold trinkets from around the world. Maybe there were a couple performers singing melodies from other countries, or a food tent or two. What I didn’t know was that, years later, I would be working to put on that same festival, now celebrating its 15th anniversary and expecting to host 2,500 – 3,000 attendees in a unified celebration of international cultures. With the CAPS Fellows Program, I am interning with the Valparaiso International Center (VIC) in preparation for its annual World Cultural Festival, where I have already learned so much about event planning and the importance of relationships in community work. I believe the most eye-opening technical aspect of my internship so far has been realizing the sheer mountain of details that goes into planning an event. Focusing on just one area of […]

The easiest way to get to 1841 North Laramie Ave from Austin, Chicago by 10 AM every weekday without a car is to take the Green Line at Austin via Ashland/63rd, get off at Laramie & Lake, then take bus 57 towards Grand/Latrobe and get off at Laramie & Bloomingdale. In theory, this journey should only take about 33 minutes: a 5-minute walk to the station, a 12-minute train ride to Laramie & Lake, a 14-minute bus ride to Laramie & Bloomingdale, and a 2-minute walk north towards the building, meaning I could leave my house at 9:20 AM. Public transportation in Chicago is a rite of passage for newcomers. Despite its numerous benefits over private car usage, it can be difficult to navigate. I had visited Chicago a few times and only used the trains, which are easy to navigate with clear stations, platforms for delay and inactive train […]

For my second blog in two weeks, I was really struggling to find an experience that I did not touch on the week before this. As I was reflecting on my summer, already at the halfway point of this experience with Jacob’s Ladder and the CAPS Fellowship, I was thinking about what is a lesson I have learned. I feel that the biggest takeaway I have had is how much better of an experience is gained when you simply are present in the moment. In our world today, there are a million things that can distract you when you are bored or to pass the time. When I first started at Jacob’s Ladder, I often found my mind wandering or thinking about how much time till lunch, or when I get to go home. It was not that I was not enjoying the work, I was just distracted. I was […]

They say that those who can’t do, teach. That’s never made much sense to me. How is someone supposed to teach something they’ve never experienced? I mean, you have to at least know the knowledge if you’re trying to pass it on. On the other hand, teaching is just another form of communication, so having a receptive audience does make a huge difference. Luckily for me, the first- through third-grade students enrolled in the Little Village READS summer program at Erie Neighborhood House are definitely there to learn. Having never worked with children before (or even taught groups in a formal setting, for that matter), I’d been pretty anxious before starting my internship at Erie House. For the week before the students started, my time was occupied by emails, lesson plans, supply checks, book shelving, and everything else I could think of doing to prepare and make sure that the […]

This summer I have been working at Jacob’s Ladder, a pediatric rehabilitation clinic in Chesterton, Indiana. I have thoroughly enjoyed my first 3 weeks working there. I am majoring in Healthcare Leadership and am struggling to find what path I want to go into in Healthcare. Before I started my job, I was excited to work in a clinical setting to really find out, or at least point me in the right direction of a path in my profession. I was also looking forward to using the resources and guidance CAPS provides to reflect on my experiences daily. One thing I realized immediately was that my work was going to take patience and a lot of effort. A lot of the time, I am doing research for grants, for my organization and organizing the reopening of providing aqua therapy sessions. This is long hours researching equipment, set up, location, and […]

In a small town tucked away and hidden by Washington state’s Cascade Mountains, there resides a non-profit organization called Grünewald Guild. This organization offers a wide assortment of community-oriented classes based upon artistic mediums ranging from songwriting, weaving, watercolor, and many others. Due to the absolutely scenic location of the guild, there is a larger influx of students during the summer programs compared to the rest of the year, and the title of this year’s summer program is Waymaking. You may be wondering, “What does waymaking mean?” and this terminology refers to the ability that one has over their unique ways of implementing a personal touch within all of their endeavors. The Guild’s wonderful Executive Director, Sarah Sprouse, is incredibly fascinated with the manner in which rivers are able to consistently adapt and change their path depending on the season or circumstance. The tides of the tenacious rivers always persist, […]

If I leave this Internship with nothing else, it will be the memories of people swept up by purpose. Seeing interns, project managers, and conservation stewards alike inspires me continuously. In my position, the opportunity to see the inner workings of a nonprofit, and the complex world of grants, partners, and funding has presented itself. Additionally, I get to take an inside look at the research, water quality monitoring, and long-term conservation goals of Shirley Heinze Land Trust.  Despite all these good things, I’ve come across an unsettling issue. The possibility of having a vocation has truly presented itself, and I could find myself swept up by a calling at any time. Vocation is an idea I had never seriously entertained. After all, I am easily contented and have always found happiness in my circumstances. If you had asked me at any other point in my life about vocation, I […]

From the moment I stepped off the Amtrak train in Leavenworth, WA I have been in awe of the landscape around me. The air is fresher, everything is green and taller than any building. The mountains rise up in every direction, completely surrounding us in the plain little valley where the Grünewald Guild is located. We’ve been here three weeks now and I still can’t get over the scenery. The mountains aren’t new to me, I grew up near the Sierra Nevadas, but this feels so much more impressive and wild. They seemed almost too surreal at first. Everywhere I turn it looks like I’m looking at award-winning photos of landscape, it’s hard to believe how extensively beautiful Washington is.   While my main goal for this summer was to form new community relationships through service (and I have absolutely done that), my second goal was to explore and learn. […]

 As I walked into my first staff training and orientation session of my placement, I immediately noticed the passion and drive that the leadership of Camp Lakeside (and by extension Opportunity Enterprises) have for their work. I was excited to join a team that truly cared about the work that they do, as well as the service that they are providing to the community. That being said, the camp environment is one that can be hectic and overwhelming, which was evident even in the orientation process weeks before the wild ride officially started. Camp Lakeside’s main objective is to bridge the gap between typically developing children and peers that aren’t. Simply put, the goal is to create an environment where people of all abilities can come and enjoy the camp experience. With this, I was able to come in as a fresh face with a position that will be able […]