A poke from Mr. Burke

Got an email this week from the Burke Scholarship Program.
For those of you who are not familiar, Dick Burke (of Trek Bicycle) founded a scholarship program at Marquette University for students who exemplified leadership and a commitment to community service (volunteer). Somehow (HOW?!?) I was chosen. And much of my college experience was closely intertwined with relationships made and sustained through various community service projects.

Anyway, back to that email. So, the Burke program was fully funded through 2010 and is now up for renewal. What better way to ask for continued funding, by making a report that recounts memories of the scholars during their formitive college days and THEN tells all the great things the program graduates are up to now, right?

Hmmm...considering the fact that my days since graduation have largely consisted of securing housing, healthcare and food for my own little family, I was overcome with a feeling of guilt. Clearly my life has been more self-serving than serving others. Well, I decided to give it my best shot and this is what I emailed back to the program assistant:

Relationships. Building relationships with fellow Marquette students, faculty and members of the communities where I served. Those relationships are the most memorable aspect of being a Burke Scholar. I remember weekly Midnight Run meetings with the very energetic coordinating team, and weekly intercambio tutoring sessions with Fernando Luis, a Mexican immigrant who wanted to improve his English but who was seeking companionship as well. I remember meeting Sr. Maria Rosa Leggol and being introduced to her faithful passion for providing hope, love, health, education and joy to orphans in Honduras. I have always been a sucker for a good story, and Sr. Maria Rosa’s life story is simply remarkable. John Allen Jr. from the National Catholic Reporter wrote about Sr Maria’s life here:
http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/sr-maria-rosa-leggol-nobody-gave-me-job-i-made-it

For the past five years I have been focused on more personal relationships, particularly with my husband and our two young children. We made a conscious decision to live simply. I have been able to stay home and raise our daughters while my husband runs his own house painting business.
This past December, we bought a home in Sussex and I quit my part-time job (of 4.5 years) as an apartment manager. Being a full-time stay-at-home-mom has its rewards and challenges. Yet, I take pride is this most important work. I marvel at my daughters’ curiosity and desire to learn and understand the world we live in. I strive to be a caring and considerate role model, as a mother, a wife, a neighbor. As my girls are growing up, I am realizing how basic and essential good parenting is for a child’s development. This personal discovery may become the start of a new career for me, a few years down the road. I find joy in raising children and would sincerely like to learn more about child development and parenting. Then, I will be prepared to reach out to parents who are struggling, teach parenting skills to others, and start building relationships again.