CORE TEAM INFORMATION
The SJE Core Team represents the student voice and strives to ensure that the SJE personnel and pedagogy reflect community members’ commitment, passion and goals.
Responsibilties
- Serve as the SJE program’s primary leadership in collaboration with the program director and graduate assistants
- Serve as a liaison between student leaders and campus ministers
- Meet regularly with campus ministers, including retreats as appropriate
- Plan and lead regular full-group and committee meetings with student leaders
- Coordinate ongoing leadership training and development
- Revise the recruitment process to maximize exposure and enthusiasm
- Reinvigorate student leadership
- Develop and implement a clear, engaging curriculum built on service, community, solidarity and shared experience, spirituality, and commitment to the common good
- Evaluate the program to ensure it remains current
Team Composition
- It is preferred that the Core Team consist of four students from within the SJE leadership community: two students who have previously served as trip leaders and two students who will lead upcoming trips
- The team will ideally consist of a mix of undergraduate seniors and juniors to ensure continuity
- The planned commitment is for a spring semester followed by a fall semester, with flexibility to extend or shorten service as appropriate
Program Coordinator: Abigail Gorman
"My SJE trip was a life changing experience and a core memory for me. I made new friends and met new people that I would not have been able to on campus. The people in my group were so loving and kind; we laughed so much the entire trip and bonded over so many things. Though building houses was hard, I learnt about the importance of teamwork and perseverance. I truly came back from this trip with a renewed perspective, beautiful memories, and new friends."
—Abena Adu-Donkor ’28 CLAS
"Being able to serve and be in community with Plenitud PR through the SJE program was truly amazing. The lessons and experiences I gained will stay with me forever."
—Elaineh Paulino ’25 CLAS
"SJE allowed me to meet new people and create a bond that laster outside of the trip. It really feels like I created a new family at Villanova."
—Josh De Leon ’26 VSB
“Love, when it is true, is always directed away from oneself. It is transcendent. The two-fold commandment of love, therefore, translates into working for the common good, [and] working for the common good is service.” –The Augustine Way
