Molloy University Service Corps

The Office of Campus Ministries has always embraced the four Dominican pillars of study, service, spirituality and community. Understandably, Covid brought unique challenges to their mission, however.

Campus Minister Michael Malinowski said, “We felt that during Covid a feeling of attachment—as well as sharing experiences through word of mouth—sort of disappeared. Of course, this was understandable with life being so disconnected. I had the idea of addressing this by including a student driven component to community service initiatives. This way, the students could be really immersed in what they were doing, while also telling their friends about it, as opposed to us just putting out a sign-up sheet and hoping people would be interested.”

Together with Campus Minister Michelle Martin, Malinowski and Martin created the Molloy University Service Corps in the spring of 2021.

Describing the process, Martin said, “Mike and I created the structure and roles of the co-chairs and committee members after getting student feedback on the idea of having a service corps. Once that was completed, students applied for the co-chair positions. Those students were interviewed and selected by Mike and myself. Afterwards, general interest meetings were held and students signed up to be committee members and it took off from there. From the start, it was clear that students were dedicated to service and wanted an active role in leading service for their peers.”

Currently, 65 students are involved in the Service Corps, providing them with the opportunity to lead the University in service opportunities, on-campus fundraising, social justice awareness events, and more. It’s comprised of four committees, each led by co-chairs and supported by committee members. The current committees are Environmental Justice, Homelessness, Hunger, and Youth and Education. Martin and Malinowski each work directly with two committees. Martin works with Hunger and Youth and Education. Malinowski works with Homelessness and Environmental Justice.

Not only does the Service Corps enable students to play an active role in leading service for their peers, but it supports the partnerships that the Office of Campus Ministries has with local organizations such as Midnight Run, Mary Brennen INN Soup Kitchen, Bethany House, and Homecoming Farm. But the main role of the Service Corps is to create new service projects, fundraisers, and partnerships within the local community.

Nursing major and co-chair of the Hunger Service Corps, Megan Han said, “I work alongside my co-chair and committee members to brainstorm creative events relating to alleviating hunger. We find food pantries to serve at, host various fundraisers at school, attend hunger awareness events, and so much more. Part of my role is finding new places to volunteer at, and it was eye opening to research and learn about the different charities located around Molloy. The one we chose was the Experience Vineyard Church Food Pantry, minutes away from our University. Whereas some pantries only offer canned produce, they also distribute fresh produce and meats. In addition, other organizations, such as counseling services, come for any of the people waiting on line. It was a great experience and we plan to go again soon. We also hosted a bake sale in Public Square to fundraise for the Mary Brennan INN, a soup kitchen on Long Island. Everyone brought in their homemade treats and we were thrilled to have raised $467! For the future, we’re planning a Zumba night to fundraise for a soup kitchen.”

Jessica Gruenfelder, a psychology major and co-chair of the Youth and Education committee, said that her committee has done fundraisers and collections for underprivileged children. Last semester they collected summer supplies and did a gift card raffle to raise money. Gruenfelder finds the experience extremely rewarding and is grateful for the stipend her position offers as well.

The co-chair for the Homelessness committee, Ali Hassan, a biology major who will be starting medical school this summer, feels that it’s important to gain experience beyond the classroom. “Improving conditions for the homeless is extremely important as this is an issue in our own communities and we have the opportunity to contribute to this cause. This means a lot to me because, as a student pursuing medicine, I have to recognize that housing is healthcare, and our living conditions have a significant impact on our wellbeing. Some of my responsibilities include notifying students in our committee regarding upcoming events and opportunities, assisting with collecting supplies and donations for the homeless community, and brainstorming ideas and events.”

Some of the recent events that the various committees have organized are the East Basket Drive, the Summer Supplies Drive, the Book Drive, The Baby Supply Drive as well as the Ocean Clean Up Service Day with Operation Splash and the Amityville Dominican Sisters' We Move Forward Together initiative.

For the future, the Service Corps looks to expand local partnerships as new programs and service projects are added. Campus Minister Martin feels it has been a remarkable experience to see students step into leadership roles in service. “Their passion and dedication to help others really speaks to the core of what it means to be a Molloy student and to put the four pillars of Dominican life into action. Through their service, they learn about and serve diverse populations in the local community and grow into true leaders in the process. It has been wonderful to watch our students grow as leaders who work to make positive change.”