Social justice in action: the Trinity Fellows Program prepares the leaders of tomorrow

The city of Milwaukee has a notable impact on us as students at Marquette University. It shapes the topics we discuss, the food we eat and the way we complain about winter. Students would like to believe that it works the other way, too, that they have an impact on Milwaukee. It is a lofty goal, but during the next 14 weeks, loweclass will be covering a group that is doing just that. 

Professor Herbert Lowe's class is pairing with the Trinity Fellows Program of Marquette. The program is 15-years old and accepts up to 10 new graduate students per year. These students participate in a 21-month work/study program where they are paired with a Milwaukee nonprofit. Undergraduate journalism students in Lowe's class will profile current members and alumni of the Trinity Fellows Program to create a collaborative piece of digital journalism.

This is not the first time loweclass has done a project like this. Last semester, students covered Marquette's Education Opportunity Program. In a similar fashion, the upcoming work on the Trinity Fellows Program will include elements of digital journalism, such as pictures, video, audio and embedded tweets.

On Monday, our class met with Carole Ferrara, director of the Trinity Fellows Program. She said she is excited about the opportunity to showcase such an impactful program. When asked about the meaning she finds in her job, Ferrara explained that it provides her with a tangible way to make a difference.

"This job is very personally rewarding," Ferrara said. "I'm able to make a contribution to the greater good by doing this."

Hearing the passion in Ferrara's voice and seeing her eyes light up as she discussed the program makes me excited. This project is an excellent opportunity to bring greater coverage to a program that is building future leaders in economic and social justice. The way the Trinity Fellows Program shapes students aligns with Marquette's pillars of leadership and service. Our class's upcoming project will tell the story of that mission. Stay tuned.