For some University of Scranton students, the concept of becoming men and women for others starts at an early age.
So it was for Lucia DeCarvalho and Wendy De La Cruz Garcia, first-year students and recent participants in the University’s First-years Involved in Reflective Service Together (FIRST) program.
Their pathway to FIRST began as middle schoolers at Scranton’s NativityMiguel, a private, tuition-free Catholic school serving a diverse student population grades 5-8. Part of the school’s first graduating class, the two then went on to participate in the University’s SPARK program.
Through FIRST, DeCarvalho and De La Cruz Garcia had the chance to do volunteer work with several organizations, including Friends of the Poor and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
DeCarvalho, a marketing major, said the program proved “an easy way to connect with people and start the school year while also giving back to the community.”
“I love doing service work and I love an opportunity to connect with people and build new friendships, so I thought that this was a good combo,” DeCarvalho said. “I learned so much about myself and the people around me, as well as about the community and how we need to do more to help the ones that need our help. Most importantly, I learned to always be grateful about the things I have and to always be kind to others.”
“What I’ve gotten out of the program is that even the smallest act of service can make a difference in someone’s life and that just makes me want to do it even more,” added De La Cruz Garcia, a counseling and human services major.
The students’ introduction to the University came via SPARK, initially as participants and then as team leaders. Held at Scranton’s Chapman Lake Retreat Center, the weeklong summer program is designed to support at-risk youth ages 12-15 by focusing on topics like self-worth, healthy relationships and bullying.
“It was very inspirational and very moving seeing how the kids come together and learn how to be with each other and have fun just being kids,” De La Cruz Garcia said.
DeCarvalho and De La Cruz Garcia are grateful to have been among the first graduates of NativityMiguel, where their commitment to service was nurtured.
“The importance of making meaningful and genuine connections with other people that started there has made a huge impact in my life as a student at the University,” De La Cruz Garcia said.
“I built long-lasting friendships and received opportunities that I would have never received if I had gone elsewhere,” DeCarvalho added. “My education there was unique because it not only focuses on academics, but also on the person themselves. It taught me to be a person and ‘men and women for others.’ I have a good foundation as a student at the University because of NativityMiguel.”
