You can usually find this week’s campus celebrity strolling around campus with a contagious smile on her face. She truly radiates positive energy throughout the SJU community. Sophomore Jacqueline Klimek’s knack for community service and love for SJU makes her a known face around campus!
I was thrilled to interview Jacqueline and talk about her experience as a first year Philadelphia Service Immersion Program (PSIP) leader. Between Jacqueline’s schoolwork and extracurricular activities, she managed to find the time to sit down in in the library with me and discuss her experience. In an effort to beat the September heat, she wore a baby blue sundress with adorable black gladiator sandals (which I may have to borrow sometime)! Jacqueline greeted with me a warm smile and big hug, and noted her excitement to share her PSIP experience with Her Campus readers.
About Jacqueline
Year: 2017
Hometown: Rochester, New York
Major: Psychology
Minor: Marketing
Campus Involvement
–APEX
-Community Service Co-Chair for the National Society of Collegiate Scholars
-Executive Board member for Psychology Club
-Hawk Host
-PSIP Leader
-Volunteer at Operation Ava
-Weekly Service
The Interview: PSIP
HC: What is PSIP?
JK: Philadelphia Service Immersion Program (PSIP) is a program for incoming freshmen where they are able to become acclimated with the SJU community and take part in service. It is about four and a half day program that honestly isn’t long enough!
HC: How did you first get involved in PSIP?
JK: I participated in PSIP my freshmen year. I first heard about it at Admitted Students Day when Jake Dillabaugh, the 2013 coordinator, was at a table telling people to sign up. I was always involved with service in high school, plus you get to move in early!
HC: Tell me a little about your experience as being a participant.
JK: To be honest, it was awkward and nerve-wracking at first. The first day, you get put together with a bunch of people you don’t know. You literally have tearstains from your parents leaving you because you just moved in that day, and you’re force to play awkward icebreakers. After a few days though, who would ever have thought that I would have made a new family?
HC: What made you want to be a PSIP leader?
JK: I had such an incredible experience with my own PSIP group and the people we met at our service site. It was a perfect transition not just into college, but into the SJU community as well. Andrew Wyschynskyj, my leader, played such a key role in my freshman year, and I wanted to share that same experience with the Class of 2018.
PSIP leaders having fun watching the sunrise at Fairmount Park!
HC: What was your service site, and what did you do there?
JK: Cardinal Bevilacqua Community Center. At CBCC, we did a lot of painting. We also helped out in the community garden, from cleaning up garbage to planting in it. The garden has been destroyed from people trampling through there so we cleaned it up. In the garden, there were wooden cut outs of vegetables and fruits, so we received the task of painting them. People ripped them down and destroyed them. Jaribel, the coordinator of CBCC, could see we were confused by this given task. She explained to us that even though there are people who do not appreciate what we do, there are so many more people out there that will. They are not going to stop just because a handful of people don’t appreciate it. We also painted flower planters. So many people who saw us painting them walked by and said thank you. A little girl walked by and said, “That’s so beautiful.” That was easily the highlight of my day!
PSIP leaders having fun while watching the sunrise at Fairmount Park!
HC: What was your service site, and what did you do there?
JK: Cardinal Bevilacqua Community Center. At CBCC, we did a lot of painting. We also helped out in the community garden, from cleaning up garbage to planting in it. The garden has been destroyed from people trampling through there so we cleaned it up. In the garden, there were wooden cut outs of vegetables and fruits, so we received the task of painting them. People ripped them down and destroyed them. Jaribel, the coordinator of CBCC, could see we were confused by this given task. She explained to us that even though there are people who do not appreciate what we do, there are so many more people out there that will. They are not going to stop just because a handful of people don’t appreciate it. We also painted flower planters. So many people who saw us painting them walked by and said thank you. A little girl walked by and said, “That’s so beautiful.” That was easily the highlight of my day!
Painting the wooden fruits and vegetables for the garden!
Jacqueline and her group getting down and dirty!
HC: What were some eye-opening, challenging experiences that you experienced this year as a first-time leader?
JK: As a leader, you never know what you’re going to come across. So, while we were at service, you do encounter things that you didn’t know you were going to face. I struggled with the experiences and the things I found in the garden that day. After talking about my finds to another leader, he said, “It’s a reality. It’s not something that should be brushed under the carpet. It’s happening, it shouldn’t be hidden, this is what is going on.” It was a huge, eye-opening learning experience.
HC: What was the difference from being a PSIP participant to a PSIP leader?
JK: Being a participant, you mainly get to know your group, but as a leader, you get the ability to get to know other leaders and so many more participants.
HC: What was your favorite part of PSIP this year?
JK: The leaders. The most incredible people I have ever met. I couldn’t imagine a better way to start my year.
HC: How has this program impacted your life?
JK: I don’t even think there are words to begin to describe how PSIP has impacted me because I could honestly talk about it for days. Everyone has played such a vital role, including the people at our site, their stories, my fellow leaders, and other participants.
HC: Why do you think PSIP is a great experience for freshmen students?
JK: It is a perfect way to become integrated into SJU. It introduces you to an amazing group of people. I truly believe it draws like minds, shows the service aspect of SJU, and how service is a main part of the SJU community.
HC: Any advice for the Class of 2018, especially your group of freshmen?
JK: The biggest piece of advice I give to freshmen is to get involved, but to also okay to have “me” time. It’s okay to sit by yourself at times and breathe. It is easy to get overwhelmed, so you have to take a step back and remember who you are.
Jacqueline and her group of freshmen
More about this celeb
HC: What movie deserves a sequel?
JK: Although I dislike sequels, The Vow definitely. The ending made me so mad!
HC: What songs would be included if there was a soundtrack to your life?
JK: All of it would be Celine Dion because I’m obsessed with her!
HC: The best part of waking up is?
JK: I really love getting the day started and seeing the sunrise if I’m up early enough.
HC: If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
JK: Play an instrument!
Thank you Jacqueline for sharing your PSIP experience with us, and good luck in the future!
HCXO,
Alex