As we come to the end of this academic year, I write to express gratitude to each of our companions- students, faculty, staff, and community partners. I appreciate the way you have embraced the Engage Rockhurst platform. The ways we have worked together to look for ways to improve its functions and usefulness. The success of this system is dependent on you to post and respond to volunteer opportunities, to become "fans" of community partners, to create a profile so that opportunities tailored to your interests are directed to you.
As a Jesuit university, Rockhurst cultivates a spirit of service in its students, faculty, and staff. Service is rooted in our values to find God in all things, to reflect and discern on our actions to create a better world, and to care for the whole person. These values motivate each of us to action. Continue to seek opportunities of service through the summer months. Even if you are unable to attend volunteer opportunities in person, there are a number of ways to support our community partners through virtual and DIY projects. Some of you have shared creative solutions for maintaining contact with a community partner through the remote end to the semester. Please continue to share stories with the university.
I started this post with gratitude for your partnership and engagement. It is appropriate that we appreciate your efforts as we reflect on the year. Equally appropriate is to look forward with hope and gratitude for the things to come. It is the way St. Ignatius taught us to proceed through the Examine. To end, I want to share this prayer to remind us we have gifts to offer for service.
Help Us To Use Our Gifts
God of love,
help us to use the gifts you give us
for the people who need us.
Help us to see their need and, inspired by your Son,
reach beyond ourselves,
beyond our institutions,
to the very margins and bring all to you, the center.
May all we do be in preparation to serve more fully,
seeking you in the world that we are invited to create with you.
Send your Spirit to keep us aglow with the desire of justice.
- Author Unknown
