By Erin Casey
In the spring of 2019, a dedicated group of students had the opportunity to develop their writing and communication skills and explore a deeper understanding of challenges faced by Worcester’s residents in need through a unique partnership with a local nonprofit organization.
Through collaboration with the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN), an organization that provides temporary shelter to families with children who would otherwise be homeless, students enrolled in an English Composition course taught by Professor James Lang, Ph.D., created materials used to support the organization and the families it serves.
“In some ways English Composition lends itself very well to community service learning, because we don’t have specific content we have to teach beyond the development of writing skills,” said Prof. Lang. “As long as the students are writing, we can ask them to write about almost anything that will improve their understanding of the writing process and their ability to communicate effectively to an audience. I’m convinced that writing about these important issues in the community provides the best inspiration for their learning and the best opportunity for them to practice writing in authentic contexts.”
The students began to understand that context when they visited IHN to conduct group interviews with some of the residents. The students used what they learned about those individuals and poverty in the city to craft profiles for the IHN website, which will introduce a public audience to some of the faces and stories of people served by the organization.
After visiting IHN, Jessica Childers ’21, a health sciences major, realized “there isn’t a typical stereotype of what a person living in poverty is like” and learned to take time to listen to people’s stories. “Many people assume families are homeless because they are terrible with money or have drug addictions, but the reality is that people at IHN are like others around us, with jobs and kids,” she said. “It is inspiring to hear about the selfless amount of effort the staff of IHN puts in to help rehabilitate the lives of families around the community.”
During the semester, the students also worked in groups to create presentation materials that were used at a major IHN fundraiser in March. Their work helped garner positive attention and necessary funds for the organization.
“We are extremely grateful for the work the Assumption students did for our organization,” said Joanne Alley, director of IHN. “They did a fantastic job putting together the presentation for our fundraiser, which resulted in many positive comments and several requests from folks interested in using it in their fundraising efforts for IHN.”
Prof. Lang agrees. “I am very inspired by how much time and effort students are willing to put into their writing when they know it will be used to make a positive difference to the families and to our community,” he said. “I hope the students come away with a greater understanding of the challenges faced by the poor and a greater desire to stand with those on the margins.”
According to Prof. Lang, this English Composition course aligns with the Assumption mission because, while teaching students better grammar, mechanics, and style, among other objectives, it forms students in the virtues of critical intelligence, thoughtful citizenship, and compassionate service. “The students do plenty of reading and research to help them develop a greater understanding of poverty and homelessness,” Prof. Lang said. “They learn about the work the government does in relation to these issues, which can make them more informed voters and citizens. And finally and most importantly, they see what a difference they can make in their communities if they are willing to walk to the margins, meet the people there, and work with them to better their lives.”
