Service Plunge turns fifteen

By student writer Ava Ayotte '27

Salve's Service Plunge turns 15 this year. The three-day program gives incoming first-year students with a passion for service the opportunity to give back to their new community, build leadership skills and connect with one another before classes begin. Participants move to campus early to take part in service projects with local nonprofit organizations like Gifts to Give, Norman Bird Sanctuary, FeedRI, McAuley Village and more.

At the end of the program, a group of Salve's incoming first-year students went from strangers to friends of both each other and the Newport community.  

For Emily Walsh '28, one of this year's Service Plunge facilitators, seeing this confidence and connection develop within the students is what the program is all about. "Seeing on that third day how they're all singing and dancing together, it was just awesome to see how fast those connections build," Walsh said.  

The Service Plunge gives incoming first-year students who are interested in community service the opportunity to get involved and make friends in their class. For the students and facilitators who participate, the program helps set them up for a great Salve experience.  

Walsh started good friendships with some upperclassmen when she participated in the plunge her first year. She said it really helped her get acquainted with her new school. When talking to some first-year students who were experiencing a little anxiety about the plunge this year she said, "When the other 600 of the incoming class show up here, you're already going to have familiar faces, you're already going to have connections with people." 

Payton Shepherd '28, another program facilitator, also participated in the plunge when she was a first-year student. She said the program helped her ease into college life. This was a big reason why she decided to facilitate this year. "I wanted to help freshmen have a similar experience to mine," she said.  

Shepherd and Walsh also see the plunge as an opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the Newport community in a way that they can't experience in the classroom. "I feel like the biggest thing that you're not learning in the classroom is perspective," said Walsh. As nursing majors, these two believe that community service helps connect their academic experiences with their experiences in the community. "I can learn about health disparities in the classroom, but I can see the impact in real life through service," said Shepherd.

During the program, students worked with a variety of different local organizations, community partners and nonprofits. Shepherd said that one of her favorite moments during this year's plunge was spending one-on-one time with local community members making bracelets and sand art and tie-dying, "It was a great opportunity to connect with everyone and see how meaningful simple activities and conversations can be," she said.  

Giving with purpose

This year's plunge was like no other. After an anonymous $8,000 donation was made to the program, this year's participants were challenged with deciding where the money should go. "Watching new students have that conversation was really powerful because they were able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of all the community partners," said Walsh.

The students ultimately decided to split the donation money between FeedRI, a local nonprofit dedicated to reducing food insecurity in Rhode Island, and McAuley Village, a housing program designed to support single mothers and their children experiencing homelessness.  

For Walsh, this donation was really impactful for the program. It showed students that dedicating your time to service isn't the only factor. It requires critical thinking skills to consider different perspectives and make difficult decisions.  

Paying it forward

The relationships that come from the Service Plunge are what has helped the program sustain its operations for the last 15 years. "Former 'plungies' taking the value from their experiences and wanting to give it to new freshmen," said Walsh, has created a cycle that gives the program what it needs to continue impacting Salve and the Newport community.  

Walsh and Shepherd are perfect examples of this cycle. Both of their experiences as participants gave them the passion and motivation they needed to become facilitators.  

"I think doing this has helped shape me as a person and has given me new opportunities, which can help me as a future nurse," Shepherd said.  

"I truly believe that participating in how much service I do at Salve has made me who I am," added Walsh.  

For these two, the Service Plunge reflects a large part of Salve's mercy mission, connecting students with the community through service and understanding their role within it.  

After 15 years, the program continues to introduce students to community service and each other. For participants, the impact lasts much longer than three days. The Service Plunge creates an environment that shapes how students understand their community and classmates that will stick with them even after they leave Salve.