Pro Humanitate in the ‘City of Joy’

Wake Forest students are serving in Calcutta, India, marking the 20th anniversary of the City of Joy program, the University’s longest running international service trip.

Ten students are serving in the spirit of the University’s motto of Pro Humanitate, “for humanity,” by teaching, helping and using what they have learned to make the world better for everyone.

During the winter break, a team of students and a handful of staff or faculty members travel to Calcutta to volunteer for two weeks in conjunction with the late Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. The volunteers stay at a local hotel and volunteer daily at various homes that are run by the Missionaries of Charity.

The Missionaries of Charity are committed to serving the poorest of poor by taking in the destitute and the dying, caring for them and helping those about to pass on to do so with dignity.

Broadening WFU’s presence in the world

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More than half of undergraduates make volunteerism a priority in their educational experience. Many students volunteer regularly at local service agencies, while others travel around the country or abroad to participate in programs like the City of Joy.

To prepare for the two week adventure, the 10 student volunteers met weekly in the Campus Kitchen at Wake Forest over the fall semester to discuss the service and culture that they would be exposed to in Calcutta.

“While nothing can fully you prepare you for this experience, we can strive to better ourselves so that someday, we might be able to come back to India or anywhere in the world and create more permanent, positive change,” said sophomore Adeline Ding.

Pro Humanitate is not just about service. In the classroom and organizations campus wide, students, faculty and staff are conducting research that is changing lives, designing classes with service-learning components, and volunteering their time and talents to improve lives and communities across the country and globe in vital ways.

 

Categories: Arts & Culture, Campus Life, International, Top Stories, Uncategorized