Unlike many of the houses in Officer’s Circle that focus on academics, the Lowell Bennion Service House isn’t focused on the sciences, humanities or law. Instead, the residents living in the house share a love for service and bettering their community that goes beyond academics.
With monthly service projects and weekly house dinners, the residents in the service house are dedicated to finding solutions to desperate situations.
Each resident has a cause to which they devote their service efforts, but often the students assist one another with the planning and execution of each other’s service projects.
“(Living in the house) gives me hope,” said Kathy Christiansen, a senior in environmental studies and psychology. “We are all approaching service in our own ways, and it’s comforting to know that all these people are doing their own kind of service.”
Residents of the house plan service projects such as the annual Officer’s Hollow, an event that allows elementary students from low-income neighborhoods to have a safe Halloween, and Earth Set, a program that teaches elementary students about environmental issues as they plant flowers at Red Butte Garden.
The residents plan these events together as a way to ensure the house is active in an array of service projects, said Kacie Pecor, a senior in social work and the residential advisor in the house, adding that this guarantees that everyone’s passions are encompassed.
“The residents have a passion for helping their community and bettering the environment,” Pecor said. “They realize there are unjust situations, and they are aware of what’s going on in their communities and are taking active roles in finding solutions.”
The house and the Bennion Center are springboards, Christiansen said, because both expose students to issues of the world and challenge them to become civically engaged and to make what changes they can through service.
Other environmental projects include the Sustainable Environment and Ecological Design program, health clinics and events at the residents halls. Along with service opportunities, the house often participates in projects alongside the Bennion Center, which holds food and clothes drives for local charities.
“We’re all students and have different schedules,” said Luke Leclair-Marzolf, a junior in mass communication. “But service brings us together to work and reflect on what we’ve done as a house.”
Many residents in the house balance a full schedule of work and school along with countless hours of service, but Leclair-Marzolf said that living in the house is a constant reminder of the commitment the residents have made to service. The service base that the house provides gives students the opportunity to have more successful projects because they are surrounded by so many committed individuals.
“I moved (into the service house) knowing that it’s easier to be involved with service if you’re surrounded by others who are involved,” said Erin Wiedmeier, a graduate student working toward medical school. “If you’re not other things can get important, and I wanted service to be a part of my life.”
Wiedmeir said that some people just have the service gene and get a need fulfilled through helping others, but service is somewhat selfish because often participants receive more than those they help. She added that it’s OK to be selfish with service, because both parties benefit.
The residents of the house recognize that the value of service comes from reflections after the work. This is where students critically engage the projects that demand service and think of ways to solve the deeper issues.
“Our group has discussions and reflections on difficult topics and the things we’ve seen or experienced while doing service,” Wiedmeier said. “It’s the discussions that lead to better decisions on how to deal with certain issues like homelessness.”
Christopher PeddecordStudents of Lowell Bennion Service house meet Tuesday night to discuss future service projects.