Volunteer support available

I commend you for your coverage on students who give of their time to engage the local community, namely your editorial on the Breakfast Club, the story on the Breakfast Club, and your coverage of Coach Wilson and his student-athletes. Your reporting is timely from the perspective of the Lilly Initiative for Vocational Exploration.

April 1 is the deadline for our fall scholarship applications – which support students who engage the community. The Wesley Service Scholarship, in particular, offers $500 to students who volunteer 80 hours during the academic year. Along with the service, we ask the students to reflect on what they’re learning through monthly meetings with other scholars, as well as through journaling on their experiences. It is our hope that your coverage will inspire other students to give back to the community. If students are wondering how and where they might volunteer, we’re happy to help.

James Hayes

LIVE Assistant Program Director

 

 

Celebrate, don’t condemn

The views expressed in The Simpsonian editorial regarding the lack of Black History events seemed to place blame on everyone else rather than looking for solutions. I looked back through these past February Simpsonian issues to see what you have done about publishing articles to help celebrate Black History Month. What did I find? Nothing.

Your editorial, quite frankly, seemed to say that only people of African American descent could set up Black History events. I fear that your attitude may make the few African American students at Simpson feel like you are blaming them. The experiences for minorities at our 97 percent “white” college is difficult enough without placing any blame on them for what you perceive is their job of educating the rest of the college. Isn’t African American history all Americans’ history? Shouldn’t we all be trying to help with setting up programs and taking opportunities to educate ourselves and others about the wonderful contributions that African Americans have made to this country?

You didn’t happen to mention that the MSA and ISO helped sponsor the Latino Heritage Month this year for the first time, or that they are planning to celebrate Asian Heritage Month in April. You failed to mention the Ounce of Doing project, the Carver lecture and concert, or the beautiful Farnham Gallery Art Display.

Blame is not really going to help the “effort to make diversity on campus more celebratory” as you mentioned in your editorial. Next time, please look for the plank in your own eye before searching for spec[k]s in the eyes of others.

Carolyn Dallinger

Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Social Work