By Abby Black
The Moreau Center for Service and Leadership's yearly service plunges are more popular than ever, with record numbers signing up for the Nicaragua Immersion. This year there are 66 applicants compared with the 44 last year.
"I think there are a number of different reasons," Laura Goble, director of the Moreau Center, said of the rising popularity. "Students are eager to engage in social justice from a Catholic standpoint. I think that students are disillusioned to the political world and these plunges really get them out there."
The Moreau Center does its fair share in promoting these events as well as student-to-student sharing of their experiences.
"This year, all the plunge coordinators put in a lot of effort with their recruitment, attending activities fairs, holding multiple info sessions, running ad campaigns," junior Justin Campbell, one of the Rural Plunge Coordinators, said. "But beyond that, I think we owe a lot of the enthusiasm for these programs to those who have coordinated and lead them in the past."
Many of the applicants were interested in the plunge because they knew someone who had been on a plunge in the past and found the experience to be rewarding.
The campus has also expanded considerably, which could contribute to the increased popularity.
"I really think that part of it is the number of people is because of the expanding campus, it's drawing people in," senior Karen Bortvedt said. Bortvedt is one of the two Nicaragua Immersion Coordinators. "Word of mouth has also been a big factor I think."
The plunges also differ in theme, making some more appealing than others to students.
"There are two reasons (why Nicaragua is so popular), one is that students really want that cross cultural and intercultural experience," said Goble. "It is less expensive than studying abroad but they still get to go to places like Nicaragua and Alaska which is different."
Some of the student leaders are back from last year because they enjoyed their previous experience so much.
"I went last year and I think one of the reasons it is really popular is because it's one of the international plunges," senior Danielle Boren, the other Nicaragua Immersion Coordinator, said. Boren attended the Nicaragua Immersion last year and was inspired by the leaders to become more involved.
Competition for a spot is fierce because there is only room for about 18 volunteers. The goal of the program is to have applicants that form a diverse group. Seniority is not factored and younger students are encouraged to apply to keep the programs running for future years. Student applicants have interviews and through these the future leaders for the plunges are found.
The other plunges offered are also getting a good number of applicants, and choosing can be difficult for the leaders.
"This year we actually received a surplus of applications, which was bittersweet because we love to see that much enthusiasm and want to involve anyone who is interested," Campbell said. "Logistically, we just had to turn some people away."
The Moreau Center is always busy with people coming in and out asking for information about the plunges.
"Students hear about poverty, but they come here asking about it because they want to see it first hand," Goble said. "We have two to three people here everyday asking about it."
The main focus of the Nicaragua trip is not service but the interaction with the families that the students will be staying with and bringing the concept of fair trade to life.
"Service is a small part. We will be living with families, eating their food, living like them and learning with them," Bortvedt said. "There is some education beforehand but we mainly focus on social justice."
The plunges are also thought to be popular because students want a meaningful vacation.
"Students want to do something meaningful and not just go to Florida and party for winter break," said Goble. "The plunges are really fun and a great way to connect to their friends and an opportunity for them to apply what they learn in the class room to the real world."
There are five plunges coming up besides the Nicaragua Immersion; the Native American Plunge, Collegiate Challenge and Border Plunge are all being offered during spring break. The Rural Plunge is offered during fall break and the urban policy plunge is offered during winter break.
The center's staff has been gearing up for these plunges and is excited for all of them to go well. For the Moreau Center's Assistant Director Melissa Florer-Bixler, getting involved in the plunges is feeding a passion to help those in need and giving others the opportunity to do so.
"I spent a semester in Kenya and two summers in Israel as an undergrad," Florer-Bixler said. "I very much value off-campus education but the part that meant the most to me was interactions with those experiencing vulnerability."
Florer-Bixler remembers eating dinner with a Palestinian family that couldn't get to work in Jerusalem because of curfews and working at a home for HIV-infected babies who were abandoned by their mothers at the local hospital.
"I had many opportunities to experience God's preferential option for the poor," Florer-Bixler said. "I love having the chance to see students lives transformed by building friendships with those whom God calls blessed in their weakness."
There is concern however, from the center's director and student leaders, that the trips may not be able to continue next year if new plunge leaders cannot be found.
"There is a huge number of untapped leaders on campus," Goble said. "The Civil Rights Plunge isn't happening because of the lack of students."
Goble wants the trips to be sustainable but feels that UP students are overcommitted and are afraid of the word leadership.
"During the spring recruitment when students hear the word "leadership" they are like " uh, no," but if they hear the word "student job" it is a lot more appealing," Goble said.
There is high hope for the plunges and student involvement from the Moreau Center for this and future years.
"We want to release student energy," said Goble. " We want students to do what they see in the classroom."
