Madonna University’s mission and heritage week to generate much buzz

Madonna University is partnering with various non-profit organizations during their Mission and Heritage Week, beginning October 6 and 8, 2016.  

Volunteer for a worthy cause

by: Megan McGlynn

Beginning in early October, Madonna University will host its first ever Franciscan Day of Service and Franciscan Day of Reflection.  Both events will bring together not just the Madonna University community, but the local Livonia community as well. 

“The Franciscan Day of Service will bring together groups of volunteers from the Madonna University community—students, staff, and faculty—who will go out to different sites, local sites as well as non-profit organizations, and help with various projects,” said Djennin Casab, Director of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement. 

Madonna University students, staff, and faculty can volunteer to participate, and so far, there has been a sizable turnout, with the entire English as a Second Language (ESL) class of 20 set to volunteer, as well as 11 students. 

“I decided to volunteer because I like being able to give back,” said Catherine Sulich, Biology major. 

The Franciscan Day of Service is set to begin on Saturday, October 8 at 9:00 a.m., with bagels and coffee provided, as well as transportation to and from each site; the event will end by 3:00 p.m., and Casab stresses that participants bring their own lunch. 

“Students are getting very excited for this opportunity,” said Casab.  “This event orchestrates a community service with a purpose.  We chose these ten non-profit organizations because they align with our Franciscan values of faith and service, which are universal to all faiths, and that we have an existing relationship with them.” 

The non-profit organizations that Madonna has partnered with for this event include: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, St. Anne’s Church, Zaman International, which helps women and girls support themselves through learning a particular skillset, Piquette Square, which provides housing for homeless veterans, and Madonna University.  At each site, volunteers will be treated to a tour of the facilities and a history of each site.  This gives all involved a time for reflection on the impact that they are making within the local community. 

At each site, volunteers will participate in cleaning up fall debris as well as indoor cleanup, and sorting clothes.  

“Because Madonna is a service-learning orientated school, I think it will help expose more students and community members alike to service-learning and how beneficial it is,” said Sulich.  “I also think it will help spread the word of Madonna’s commitment to helping those in the community.” 

Donations are needed, and more than welcome, said Casab, with some sites needing supplies greatly.  In high demand are lawn bags, gardening tools, white vinegar, old rags, very, very old long sleeve shirts, and gloves for cleaning up outside debris, as well as any other cleaning supplies. 

In addition to the Franciscan Day of Service, Madonna University will hold the Franciscan Day of Reflection on October 6, 2016 in both the Franciscan Center and Gathering Space.  For this event, beginning at 5:30 p.m., a human trafficking survivor, Nico Maceda, from the Philippines, will speak and in an “Oprah moment”, as Casab said, will, for the first time, meet the lawyer from the University of Michigan who helped rescue him.  Outside in the Fathering Space, poster presentations, made by the students of two Madonna University faculty members, Fatima Salemassi and Ioana Fracassi, will explain in more detail human trafficking.  Also there, an assembly line of students will put together care packages for women and girls most at risk. 

“[Both the Franciscan Day of Service and the Franciscan Day of Reflection, have] communion with the community, wherein volunteers are working with the community, side-by-side,” said Casab.  “Not just working for the community, but working with them so that both can be better.” 

*If you are interested in volunteering for the Franciscan Day of Service event, sign-up is through MyPortal, or through the link Volunteer Sign-up Franciscan Day of Service.  Email Djennin Casab at dcasab@madonna.edu with your second and third choice, because space is limited.