One of John Cabot University's greatest sources of pride comes from its immensely diverse student body, with young, bright minds coming from over 80 countries around the world to study in Rome. There is an office on campus that serves as support to events and activities promoting culture, diversity, and inclusion, and that's the Office of Community Service, Religious Life, and Multiculturalism. Let's take a more in depth look at the different branches of this office and the opportunities they offer to JCU students!
Community Service Program
The Community Service Program at John Cabot University offers many different service opportunities throughout the semester and gives students the possibility to be awarded with an official Certificate of Participation for volunteering with its affiliated associations. Graduating seniors who have extensively volunteered, going above and beyond the call of duty in the community, while upholding the spirit of the JCU mission, are awarded the Service Honor Cord.
The Community Service Program’s slogan is “I C-A-R-E,” which stands for the core values that JCU strives to implement: Community, Awareness, Respect, and Empowerment. The Program’s objective is to build a caring community that is aware and respectful of the diverse realities that surround us. The Program is based on learning from these differences and aims to enforce a give-and-take process: it seeks to empower the local community by helping out in every possible way, but also aspires for students to be empowered through the volunteering opportunities.
While completing community service activities and increasing their understanding of the issues pertinent to the institutions with whom they work, students nurture a sense of social responsibility and global citizenship and practice skills such as collaboration with others, communication, leadership, and problem-solving. They also get a chance to integrate in the Roman community.
Religious Life
John Cabot University is nonsectarian, and Religious Life strives to enable the community to appreciate, respect, and contribute to its multicultural richness and diversity.
Students at JCU have the unique privilege to interact not only with already diverse American and Italian cultures but with cultures from all around the world. The Office of Religious Life and the Interfaith Initiative student group work together to foster and advance this rich resource of the university and, through it, address religious diversity.
In the world today, religion plays a significant role on all levels of society. John Cabot University strives to involve John Cabot students in establishing a mindful and religiously aware student environment through dialogue, critical thinking and respect, thereby rendering religious and cultural diversity on campus into one of the university's distinctive assets.
The Office of Religious Life and the Interfaith Initiative also serve as a reference point for students in need of specific information and contacts regarding religious institutes and services in Rome and as a resource to help develop knowledge in the areas of religion and spirituality through chaplaincy, inter-group meetings and special events.
Multiculturalism
The Office of Community Service, Religious Life and Multiculturalism promotes the development of culturally responsible and responsive students by serving as support to events promoting culture, diversity and inclusion, and providing guidance to the Multicultural Club and all of its sub-groups, including the Africans in the World Cultural Club, the Asian Cultural Club, and the Organization of Latin Americans.
