Campus Ministry Takes BVM Core Values to Milwaukee
From March 16-20, five Clarke University students traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the Kutchera Service Trip. The annual offering is supported by Joe Kutchera and his family in honor of his aunt, Barbera Kutchera ‘59.
Led by Director of Campus Ministry Rick Rupprecht, Bridget Bracy, Brett Dietzel, Steele Fredricks, DeRyah Maxey, and Vince Richardson participated in the Urban Plunge at Casa Romero Renewal Center.
“The Romero Renewal Center is such a fantastic partner because they offer so many opportunities for service in such a short time,” Rick said. “The students worked with people who are facing food and housing insecurity, immigration issues, and more. It’s an eye-opening experience in many ways.”
Because of the center’s deep connections throughout Milwaukee, the students were able to volunteer at many different locations. Just some of them included Feeding America, Father Gene’s Help Center, MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary, and Guest House of Milwaukee, which all serve low income and homeless individuals and families.
The students were also able to serve a meal and visit with people at Kinship Community Food Center. For Vince, this was one of the more impactful experiences.
“Sometimes at a pantry, it can feel kind of cold and removed, like you pick your stuff up and go,” Vince said. “At Kinship, there were people laughing and hanging out. They make it feel like a community. The people were funny and kind, and everyone was treated with dignity.”
Another unique aspect of the trip was volunteering at Voces de le Frontera, an organization dedicated to assisting Latin immigrants. There, the students worked with individuals studying for their citizenship tests.
“That might have been the hardest experience, because you had the added element of teaching, but it was also one of the most rewarding,” Bridget said. “I worked with a woman who has aced the written test before but failed the oral test because she struggled to pronounce some words. For example, there is no “v” sound in Spanish, so we practiced that over and over. It’s something simple we take for granted but mastering it could change her whole life.”
One of the benefits of working with the Romero Renewal Center was that after volunteering, the students had opportunities to learn more about the history of social justice issues in Milwaukee, one of the most segregated cities in the country.
We were staying in the Hispanic region of Milwaukee, and the leaders at Casa Romero talked to us about the history of how these neighborhoods became so divided. Every moment of this trip, I felt like I was learning something and I’m so glad I went.
According to Rick, the volunteers at the various locations were just as happy to see the Clarke students.
“So many of the organizations complimented how hard the group worked,” Rick said. “I never had to tell them to put their phones away or to get back to work. We might take a 15-minute break for coffee or for some of them to see Lake Michigan for the first time, but they were always ready for the next job. They were here for the right reasons.”
If you’d like to support Campus Ministry and other service opportunities at Clarke, contact Institutional Advancement at (563)588-6405 or development@clarke.edu.