JUNIORS

The Service Immersion during the junior year of San Dam is to demonstrate leadership in a particular ministry. A ministry as defined as “any activity conducive to the salvation of souls” (USCCB, Glossary of Catholic Terms). These ministries can be either on-campus or off-campus but must be discerned, applied for, and selected with the assistance of SDS leadership. Each junior and senior is expected to commit 32 hours per semester (at minimum) to serving in this ministry and have an advisor who oversees the primary work of the ministry. Regular meetings with the advisor are required. The Service Immersion should be seen as the means by which we live out an authentic faith by serving God’s people in the community. “An authentic faith – which is never comfortable or completely personal – always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it” (EG, 183). Upon the conclusion of the Service Immersion, you will be asked to write an article as part of your self-evaluation reflecting on the experience and what you learned. Here are the options to choose from (or select other):  

• Prayer Practice Team -  The team will work closely with the SDS leadership team to vision, plan, and implement ways for the greater SDS community to grow in prayer practices. (4 spots available)   

• Sacred Choir Leaders - Sacred Choir is a group of students that prepare the music for worship for all of our Campus Masses, an evening of prayer and song, and off-campus outings. You will be the leaders for preparing the Sacred Choir. (5 spots available)

• Liturgy Leadership Team - Masses need ministers to help with the parts of the mass. You will be the lead for this team. You will help students to be ministers in the areas of serving, greeting, lectoring, and ministering the Eucharist as well as helping with the overall planning of the Liturgies on campus. (3-5 spots available)

• SDS Small Group Leadership Team - You will be responsible for serving as a team to help support the small group facilitators throughout the year. (2-4 spots available)

• SDS Small Group Facilitators  - You will facilitate small group community formation for the underclassman through 45-60 minute sessions (weekly) including spiritual reading, prayer intentions, and fellowship. The expectation is that you would assist with the freshman and sophomore retreat at the begin of the academic year as well. (20 spots available)

• Community Leadership Team -  The team will work closely with the SDS leadership team to vision, plan, and implement ways for the greater SDS community to grow together through fun and spiritual opportunities. (4 spots available)   

• Service Leadership Team Leaders (SALT) - You will serve on team to assist with the planning of all the service opportunities that happen through university ministry during the academic year. Including: Indy Urban Plunge, Rising Retreat, and STARR. (6 spots available)

• Alternative Break Leader  - You will serve as a leader for the service-immersion experiences, offered during each Fall Break, Spring Break, and in May, designed to provide meaningful experiences for students who want to immerse themselves in different cultures and serve those in need. They include travel to under-served communities in places like Appalachia, New Mexico, and Guatemala. (8 spots available) 

• University Ministry Council Member -  You will serve as a leader on the University Council and represent your peers on matters of faith at Marian University. (2 spots available) 

• Marian University Athletic Chaplain -  You will serve as an athletic chaplain for a MU sports team. (many spots available)

• Rite of Christian Initiation Leader  - Students who are on our RCIA team have a great opportunity to walk with and accompany our non-Catholic students throughout the academic year. Team members will be tasked with leading opening and closing prayer during RCIA sessions each week, leading small group discussions with candidates/catechumens, and helping with hospitality each week. This is a great opportunity for students who are looking to build relationships with other students in our community and also learn more about the Church’s teachings along the way as we dive into thematic topics throughout the academic year. The commitment for this team would be 2-3 hours per week from August-Easter. (4 spots available)

• University Retreat Leader  - For the 2023-24 academic year, University Ministry is looking to offer 2 weekend retreat experiences and at least 1 day of reflection for the greater Marian community on campus. We are looking for students to lead on our retreat teams throughout the school year. There will be pre- and post-retreat formation and evaluation meetings held for the team members to participate in. The team would be expected to participate in the formation meetings and serve as a leader in at least one of the following capacities: small group facilitator, witness talk presenter, liturgical minister, prayer experience leader, kitchen crew, logistics, etc. The commitment for the Retreat Team members would be 2 hours per week TBD throughout the school year. (10 spots available)

• Latino Leadership Initiative College Mentor  - This is an opportunity for current Latino students to serve as mentors in high schools in our surrounding communities. The mentors will share their own experiences as immigrants, international students, and college students, and their journey to pursue higher education. (many spots available)

• Open to other options submitted. 

During each academic year, the San Dam community will gather all-together for three, individual days of prayer, reflection, renewal, and community. Each of these days is mandatory for you and will serve as checkpoints for your progress within the program. Here are the three dates for the upcoming year:  

• Thursday, August 15, 2024 

• Sunday, January 5, 2025  

• Sunday, April 13, 2025 

The following is a tentative structure for each of these days:  

10:30am / Mass / BCMC 

12:00pm / Lunch / Dining Commons 

1:00pm / Opening Prayer & Keynote / TBD 

2:00pm / Breakout Sessions / TBD  

4:00pm / Keynote / TBD  

5:00pm / Dinner / TBD  

6:00pm / Closing Session / TBD  

7:00pm / Social Time (optional) / TBD 

The Enrichment Experience is completed in the junior year. The goal of this one-time experience is to engage in a self-selected, immersive experience that takes you outside your comfort zone to best grow as a faith leader. This experience is to be completed between the end of the sophomore year and the beginning of senior year. You have several options to choose from:  

• Missionary Disciples Institute / National Eucharistic Congress   

• Alternative Break Trip  

• Wonder (Nature adventure) 

• One Call Institute (Pastoral Music) 

• Seek (Focus Conference) 

• Catholic Youth Organization Camp Rancho Framasa 

• World Youth Day 

• Totus Tuus  

• Study Abroad (Maymester) 

• Franciscan Mission Network 

Other submissions upon request.  

To build up the prayer practices offered on campus and to help you individually build a robust prayer life by implementing a variety of spiritual practices, the San Dam Program is implementing structured, weekly prayer practices led by San Dam Scholars. During the Encounter and Community Retreat, we will introduce and teach the prayer practices listed below.  

For the freshman, the goal is to participate in as many of these practices to gain a wide scope of prayer experiences in the first year. For sophomores, juniors, and seniors, the goal is to select one prayer practice each semester and lean into it (meaning becoming a regular participant in one throughout the semester). These prayer practices will be discerned and selected during the August and December SDS Days of Reflection. 

The Prayer Practices:  

• Daily Mass

• Eucharistic Adoration   

• Liturgy of the Hours   

• Praise & Worship   

• Rosary & Divine Mercy   

• Lectio Divina or Bible Study   

• Novenas   

• Spontaneous & Intercessory Prayer 

At the conclusion of the academic year and at the April SDS Day of Reflection, you will be required to submit an article informing people at Marian University about your prayer practice and an idea, sentiment, or image that captures your experience with the prayer practice.  

The self-evaluation will be a great tool for you to reflect and process your growth within college and the San Dam Program. It is also a great way for us to hold you accountable for your progress within the San Dam Program. The goal of the self-evaluation is to assist you with the ongoing discernment process of self and relationship with God. The process will begin each August with goal writing, questions distributed in January, and submission in April. The categories for evaluation are Scholarship (academics and vocation), Discipleship (prayer and community), and Leadership (service and stewardship).  Once a self-evaluation has been submitted, it will be read and responded to by a Marian University staff member in the Office of Catholic Franciscan Leadership Programs or University Ministry and will go in your file.