Name: Sara Garrard
Role within Service-Learning: Community Partner and Pastor at Old West Church (OWC)
How are your values expressed through your community engagement and Service-Learning work?
One of the main aspects and values of my job is not only doing works of equity and justice, but empowering and equipping others to do the same. Service-Learning allows for students to come in at different points in the community and engage on issues of racial equity and social justice in a new way. For me, this is not only a part of my job but at the heart of who I am as a person and I appreciate that Service-Learning offers a creative, thoughtful way for students to engage the community.
Did you find Service-Learning or did Service-Learning find you?
Honestly, when I first moved to Boston I was looking for volunteers. So, after many calls, emails, and false starts around the city, a conversation with Northeastern happened. Since then, easily a thousand Northeastern scholars have been on site at OWC and the relationship has just continued to grow, just like the OWC food forest so many of the scholars have helped develop.
If Service-Learning were an animal, what would it be and why?
Service Dog – one, because dogs are my favorite and I almost will always answer this unless I really don’t like something, but two, because the hard work the scholars put in is exemplary and inspiring.
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