Amy Furman ’10CPS freely admits that her experiences at St.
John’s University shaped her in ways she had never imagined. Though
she frequently participated in small-scale community service
projects while growing up in Pennsylvania, it wasn’t until she came
to St. John’s that service took on a defining role in her life. “I
jumped at all of the University’s outreach opportunities,” she
said. “That’s what made me realize that helping others is something
I’d like to do now and for the rest of my life.”
The University’s ample service opportunities drew her attention
during her very first week at St. John’s and, like many students,
her formation took place as much outside of the classroom as behind
the desk. She quickly became active on campus, serving as a retreat
leader, Mass lector, Student Ambassador, participant in Campus
Ministry and member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
“Right off the bat at new student orientation, St. John’s
offered me so many chances to serve the community,” she said. “The
school made it so easy and acceptable to get involved in great
activities.”
This recent alumna has also been volunteering for the past three
years at the Sponsor-A- Family program of St. John’s Bread and
Life, an initiative that provides toys and healthy Christmas meals
for less fortunate families within the community. True to her
commitment to service, she will again be participating in this
year’s program.
Programs like Sponsor-A- Family have helped to strengthen her
commitment to service, making it easy for her to sign the
Vincentian Torch of Service Pledge in May. Signed by nearly 1,000
graduating seniors from the Class of 2010, the pledge commits
students to continue living their Vincentian values by performing
service on a regular basis for the rest of their lives.
“I had done service in the past, but St. John’s made it an even
bigger part of my life,” she said. “It seemed like a natural
progression to sign the Vincentian Torch of Service. I knew that I
wanted to keep service as part of my life, so I gladly signed
it.”
Furman is working for City Year, a ten-month AmeriCorps program
designed to decrease the alarming rate of high-school dropouts in
particular neighborhoods throughout the United States. Presently
stationed at an elementary school in the South Bronx in an area
with a 50 percent dropout rate, she has found the experience
immensely rewarding.
“We do a little tutoring, participate in assemblies and
after-school programs and serve as another positive adult in these
children’s lives,” she noted. “It’s like my full-time job.
Actually, since I only receive a stipend, I guess you could say
it’s my full-time service.”
Furman sees her career goals as a reflection of the Vincentian
values that she fostered at St. John’s. “Sometimes you don’t
necessarily expect to be transformed, but once that transformation
happens, like it happened with me, you can’t ignore it. As St.
Vincent preached, you must find the world’s needs and address them,
and that’s exactly what I hope to do with the service in my
life.”
For information about the Vincentian Torch of Service please
call Victoria R. Migliore ’98C, ’01GEd, Campus Director, University
Ministry at (718) 990-1363 or e-mal migliorv@stjohns.edu