Module 4: Our St. Louis / Madrid Community
Our St. Louis/Madrid Community
Each module of Cura Personalis 1 has a required element - for Our St. Louis / Madrid Community, all students must participate in an off-campus learning experience. This could include taking a tour of a museum, engaging in a short service project, visiting a local non-profit or community organization, etc. Please note that instructors can either organize this participation together as a class, or students can individually participate in an experience of their choosing.
Below are other potential topics, class activities, and readings to utilize to help students achieve the learning outcome for Module 4. These are potential - faculty are welcome (and encouraged!) to seek out other resources to implement.
All activities and readings referenced below are available on the Cura Personalis 1 curriculum resource page.
Potential Topics:
History of St. Louis/Madrid
General history review
St. Louis City/County dynamic (White Flight/History of race relations)
History of SLU and Slavery
Justice Issues in St. Louis/Madrid (choose one)
Racial Justice (Delmar Divide)
Immigration Justice (International Institute, Welcome Neighbor STL, etc.)
Criminal Justice Reform
Food Justice (SLU Campus Kitchen)
Community Engagement (Non-profit or service agencies review via CSCE)
Civic and Cultural Resources of St. Louis/Madrid
Potential Activities:
Off campus experience (Required)
Tour of local non-profit agency
Tour of historically black cemeteries
Forest Park
Museums (History, Art, etc.)
Grand Center Arts District (Fox Theatre, Grandel, Powell, etc.)
Minority-owned business visit (restaurant, store, etc.)
Other
Tours of SLU Museum of Art and Museum of Cotemporary Religious Art (MOCRA)
Guest speaker from Center for Service and Community Engagement
Poverty Simulation
Immigration Simulation
Guest speaker on selected issue of justice (see above)
Student panel on recommendations on engaging with St. Louis, sharing service experiences, etc.
Racial geography tour of St. Louis
Walking tour of downtown
Practice riding the Metro/public transit
Potential Readings:
Charity vs. Justice – Various forms of community engagement
Address from Fr. Kolvenbach, S.J. at Santa Clara (2000)
Catholic Social Teaching (USCCB Website)
In The Service of Life (Author Unknown)
Article on Voluntourism
Laudato Si - Pope Francis' encyclical letter on care for the environment