Campus Briefs

Locatelli Transforms into Night Market
This upcoming Saturday, the Asian Pacific-Islander Student Union will be hosting a "Night Market," an event modeled after famous Taiwanese street night markets.

The event will feature cultural food, games and live entertainment. On schedule for entertainment is Santa Clara's Hipnotik, the a cappella group Supertonic, and a K-pop dance group featuring Santa Clara students, alongside other student performances.

According to the event's Facebook page, other Multicultural Center clubs will be holding booths at the event.

Admission to the APSU's Night Market is free and open to the public. Like a traditional night market, the event will be held at night, running from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m. at the Locatelli Student Activity Center.

Post-Grad Service Gives To Participants
Two quarters to go and many seniors are still scratching their heads with uncertainty about graduation, and more importantly, what they'll be doing afterwards.

Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest is a yearlong post-graduate service program that is based on the four values of simplicity, spirituality, social justice and community. In an effort to work with the marginalized, the JVC develops authentic relationships and takes the opportunity for personal transformation.

"Not only are you working and living in communities, but you're engaging in very direct relationships with other people that also hope to work towards social and ecological justice for a year after college," said Ian Roeber, a JVC northwest recruiter.

Roeber has been traveling around the U.S. and landed at the Santa Clara Career Center last Thursday to give an info session on what this program entails and sharing bits of his own experience along the way.

Morgen Oswood has been working for JVC since she graduated from Santa Clara in 2012 at a nonprofit legal aid services in Kansas City. One of her favorite parts about the program are the community nights held weekly, which offers volunteers an outlet to compare stories and challenges with people with similar beliefs. "It's just been an awesome opportunity after going to Santa Clara, where they teach you how to use your degree for the better of society," said Oswood.

Applicants to JVC come from all areas of the U.S., and they can expect a range of employment openings such as community health, legal advocacy, social work, education, environmental advocacy and many more. While the program aims to provide spots for students coming from every discipline, a lot of the work depends on the need of the placement community. "Ultimately, you can find something that challenges you throughout the year and allows you to use the skills you've had throughout your entire life," said Roeber.

The recruiter also emphasized the post-program benefits, like having such a stellar experience on your résumé for future jobs or graduate opportunities. Roeber says that employers are often impressed that JVs are "flexible and able to work in a challenging setting," as well as adaptable.

Regardless of the placement, JVC offers a stellar program revered by recent grads as a way to give back after receiving indispensable education.

Volunteers Help High Schoolers' Education
Strive for College SCU is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month, and its success has insured that it will keep growing. The program helps mentor kids from low-income families through the complicated college application process.

Last year, 11 Santa Clara students volunteered once a week with 33 students at Overfelt High School in San Jose. This was a big change from the sometimes 500:1 ratio. With the help of Santa Clara Broncos, students from Overfelt High School have applied to hundreds of colleges and universities all over the country.

The students helped committed to the program for one year and are motivated to achieve a higher education. Many of them are the first in their family to even apply to college. After these sessions began, eight of these students even applied to Santa Clara, a university that was previously never on their radar.

This year, Strive for College SCU has partnered with Prospect High School in Saratoga to work with 50 low-income students. Within a year, this program has more than doubled in size and has allowed many of these students to achieve their dreams of attending a four-year college or university.

All of the mentors involved are current students at Santa Clara who volunteer an hour a week to helping out these students in need. Even though this program is only celebrating its first year, its vast success proves that there will be many more to come.

From staff reports. Email news@thesantaclara.com.