Serviam, I Will Serve (Catholic Charities Series No. 01)

This blog post is the first in a series written by Jaclynne Nader, N’18 and Jacy Neczypor, N’18, who will chronicle their journey of starting a Pre-Orientation program for first year students at Georgetown in August 2017. The pair is working with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington and looks forward to sharing its progress on this project over the next month.

I attended Ursuline Academy, an all-girls Catholic school, from grades 7 to 12 – where our motto was “Serviam, I will serve.” I learned from a young age the importance of sharing my gifts and using my talents to live a life dedicated to the service of others. I have been blessed to grow up close to my faith, and because of this I knew I wanted to attend a Catholic University. The Jesuit influence at Georgetown is extremely unique, and I know my education is much richer because of these values.

Last November, Jacy Neczypor and I approached our professor Joan Riley about the possibility of initiating a Pre-Orientation program that would expose incoming freshmen to Jesuit ideals and their importance in the health field. Professor Riley mirrored our enthusiasm, expressing that she had been trying for some time to develop a relationship between Catholic Charities and Georgetown students. This Pre-Orientation program seemed like the perfect way to make that dream a reality.

Sponsored by the NHS, this pre-orientation program will expose first year students to the meaning of men and women for others, AMDG (Ad majorem Dei Gloriam) and cura personalis. Furthermore, these students will have direct encounters with these values while volunteering with Catholic Charities at medical clinics, reflecting with peers and witnessing the beauty of these values fully lived by healthcare providers in the area.  Catholic values are at the heart of Georgetown’s mission, and we are excited to expose incoming freshmen to such rich ideals before they even start their first class at Georgetown.

As students at Georgetown University, we have been blessed abundantly with the gifts and tools necessary to make the world a better place. This Pre-Orientation program will help cultivate these gifts and give students an unforgettable and unique perspective on the importance of Jesuit ideals in the health care field.

I am incredibly grateful and feel extremely fortunate to have alumni so invested in the mission and spirit of Georgetown. Thanks to a generous donation from an NHS alum, this program will start next summer!

Written by Jaclynne Nader, N’18