The week before Thanksgiving break the student representatives of the Center for Social Concern (CSC) hosted a Social Justice Dinner where undergraduate students gathered to discuss social justice issues and community service on our campus. The student-led, staff-supported event served as an opportunity for students to voice their concerns about community service culture on campus.
The biggest question that was asked and answered was, “Why don’t students at Hopkins seem to care?” Essentially addressing the fact that undergraduates are so consumed with academics and other activities that community service falls to the wayside. Many students in attendance at the dinner said that service is only done as a “résumé-builder” or that people give the excuse that they “don’t have the time.”
There have been demonstrations on our campus in light of the recent call for social justice across the nation at school such as at University of Missouri, Yale University, and Ithaca College; however, there only seems to be a small number of students at Hopkins who are involved. Perhaps this is because people are not educated on the issues and we do not have a space where respectful discussion is encouraged.
While certain members of staff at the Center for Social Concern have an open door policy and welcome students to make appointments to learn about community issues and social injustices, the CSC is typically seen as a neutral place for groups to store their clubs’ things or to print fliers. In reality the CSC is an opportunity for learning, but a lack of student interest makes it hard to create a culture of civic-mindedness.
This fault falls neither entirely on the students, nor entirely on the administration. It is a two way-street, a relationship. While the President’s Day of Service (PDOS) is an effort to unite the community and to engage with the greater Baltimore area, it is only a fleeting moment. When we send out uneducated volunteers, we are doing more harm then good. There are no opportunities for follow-ups or meaningful reflection. This renders the experience essentially useless. We rack up numbers of participants and service hours so that they look good to donors in suits, but what else have we accomplished?
Undergraduate students should walk away from Hopkins with more than just a degree. They should enter the rest of society as civically engaged citizens who want to make a positive impact on whichever community they travel to. Our student body is made up of future leaders of the world, and we have the privilege of a top-10 education. Our degree alone means that we will be taken seriously and that we have a voice at the table. It is our university’s responsibility to learn about social justice issues and it is our responsibility to use our privilege to advocate on behalf of those without a voice.
Carissa Zukowski is a junior Applied Math and Statistics major from Baltimore, Md.
