Microsoft Word - Moreau Capstone Integration My mission I strive to live a life dedicated to compassion and respect for all through my words, actions, and thoughts. I want to be a person who others look up to as an example of kindness and care, and I am truly happy when I am in the presence of others and gaining wisdom through relationships. Some of my greatest skills include determination, empathy, and leadership, and I would like to use these to make an impact in the lives of others. More specifically, I hope to address systemic injustices such as health disparities and inequality. I have been influenced by many in my life, including professors, peers, and family members, and I hope to use the lessons and skills I have learned from them to make a positive change in the world. I strive to use my education to also teach others and instill greater cultural relativism. Although I know my ambitions and goals might not come easily, I refuse to be complacent with inequalities that need to be addressed. I know I will need to have courage and resilience in order to redefine the social normative, but I know this will be rewarding in the long-term. My mission in life has been inspired by many people who have come before me, and I aspire to live a life that has been as meaningful as some of the people I look up to. I have been greatly inspired by Father Hesburgh and his contributions to civil rights movements and Catholic education. I admire how he has been able to take a stand on such important issues while also connecting with students and people around him on a deep level ("Hesburgh" by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley - Moreau FYE Week Two). Despite how much he did, he was never too busy to help or give advice to someone around him. To me, this level of selflessness and balance represents the epitome of success, and I hope to live my life with the same courage and resilience as he did. I have also been inspired by Father Greg Boyle who “bridged the gulf of mutual judgment and replaced it with kinship” through his gang intervention and rehabilitation programs ("Jurisdiction" by Greg Boyle - Moreau FYE Week Seven). I really admire his work on breaking gender and racial barriers and creating inclusive communities open towards everyone. I greatly value community and appreciate how he celebrated each person’s unique abilities and talents. I hope to follow his path and address systemic injustices and inequalities. The way I want to live my life has also been shaped by personal reflection and contemplation. Over the past year, I have dedicated more time to being still and meditating. There is abundant scientific evidence demonstrating the physical and mental health benefits of taking a moment to be still and meditate, and I have found it helpful in living my life to its fullest ("Why We Need to Slow Down our Lives" by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One). Meditating has helped me come to know what I value in life and has allowed me focus more deeply on interpersonal relationships. I have also been focusing on the right way to be introspective and striking a balance between reflection on the past and living in the moment. I have been adopting the idea of asking myself “what” rather than “why” in order to have better insight and to more deeply understand my emotions ("The Right Way to be Introspective (Yes, There's a Wrong Way)" by Tasha Eurich – Moreau FYE Week Six). Reflecting on my life has made me more fully realize that I value relationships with others and caring for those around me. As Sister Alethia mentioned, focusing on “memento mori: where am I headed, where do I want to end up?” allows us to cherish each moment and live authentically ("Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember You Will Die" by Ruth Graham - Moreau FYE Week Three). I value this concept and utilize memento mori to focus my life on what I deem most important and what I want to be remembered for in my eulogy ("Write Your Own Eulogy" by Notre Dame – Moreau FYE Week Eight). One major way my life will be shaped is by my future career, and I want to make sure I do something with the rest of my life that helps others. I really appreciate all of Notre Dame’s resources that allow me to identify my values, interests, personality traits, and skills, and how I can combine them into a career. The interactive assessment activity affirmed my desire to interact with others and help others in my future career ("Career Development Reflection" by Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week Four). I also had a conversation with my mother that played a role in my discernment. We discussed my desire for a more caring world that is respectful of people’s different cultures, beliefs, and stories. She said she hopes I can use my leaderships skills to inspire others to not be complacent with things they are not happy with in the world ("Discernment Conversation Activity" by Notre Dame - Moreau FYE Week Five). Something that is very important to me to address in my life and future career are systemic injustices regarding race, identity, sex, and anything that hinders the inherent dignity of a person. I strongly agree with the NPR podcast, “passion isn’t enough,” that we must shift our focus towards the actual needs of the people around us ("Passion Isn't Enough" by Hidden Brain Media - Moreau FYE Week Eleven). Although constructive discussion is valuable, it is important to focus on concrete action. Here at Notre Dame, I utilize clubs as a means to not only learn more about different perspectives and opinions of the peers around me, but also as a way to take action and make a difference in the community. Part of taking action involves courage and initiative. Just as Dean G. Marcus Cole wrote, “while education and position do not grant immunity from racial violence, they place one in a position to do something about it” and I make it my goal to utilize my Notre Dame education to combat inequality ("I am George Floyd. Except, I Can Breathe. And I Can do Something" by Dean G. Marcus Cole - Moreau FYE Week Twelve). Notre Dame provides a unique opportunity that not only fosters the mind but cultivates “a disciplined sensibility to the poverty, injustice, and oppression that burden the lives of many” ("University of Notre Dame Mission Statement" by Notre Dame - Moreau FYE Week Thirteen). Using my Notre Dame education for good could mean educating someone on implicit biases or advocating for healthcare equality in the medical field. I also enjoyed reading about Notre Dame’s initiatives such as the ideas of Education, Research and Action on Development to Combat Urban Inequity and Disparity, and I hope to be able to contribute to projects like this one in the future ("Moment to See, Courage to Act Symposium" by Notre Dame - Moreau FYE Week Twelve). It is also my mission to go about making a difference in the world in an ethical and culturally competent manner. I want to adopt the idea of accompaniment and view service and caring for others as mutual relationships rather than one-sided help ("Teaching Accompaniment: A Learning Journey Together" by Steve Reifenberg - Moreau FYE Week Nine). I want to focus my efforts on accompaniment rather than aid and learn and gain wisdom from the people and culture I am surrounded by. In fact, I believe this is one of the best ways to gain wisdom. Too often, we are part of an echo chamber and not open to listening to the different views that surround us ("How to Avoid an Echo Chamber" by Paul Blaschko – Moreau FYE Week Eleven). One of the best ways to avoid an echo chamber is through inclusion and relationships. Just as Notre dame “consciously creates an environment of mutual respect, hospitality, and warmth in which none are strangers and all may flourish” I believe having inclusion is something everyone could work on ("The Spirit of Inclusion at Notre Dame" by Notre Dame – Moreau FYE Week Ten). I strive to create inclusion by actively intervening when I see discrimination and by being respectful of everyone’s beliefs and identity. My goal in life is to search for truth and what better way to do that than by searching for the goodness in the people surrounding me. Overall, I aspire to live a life grounded in love and respect for others; I hope to cultivate a purposeful life and leave behind a legacy of positive change. I look up to those who have come before me and lived a life-well lived, and I hope to one day inspire others. While this mission statement is just a start, I am optimistic for the future and discovering where life takes me.