A Heart for Service & Others

Divine Savior Holy Angels High School is a Catholic, college-preparatory high school for young women that excels at developing the whole person. Sponsored by the Sisters of the Divine Savior and grounded in their mission to make known the goodness and kindness of Jesus Christ,

we develop our students into capable young women of faith, heart, and intellect who accept the gospel call to live lives that will make a difference.

Wojciak embraced the scriptural theme of the 2021-22 school year, which comes from Titus 3:4 and the mission of the Sisters of the Divine Savior — to make known the goodness and kindness of Jesus Christ. At DSHA, she expanded her knowledge on diverse perspectives and formed relationships through serving others, and therefore, is ready to be an active member of the communities of which she is a part.

By Julia Wojciak, DSHA '22 + University of Notre Dame '26

My parents brought me to America at just eighteen months old in hopes of providing a high-quality education for me, and they have instilled in me an optimistic vision for my future. Though adopting optimism applies to most immigrants, my motivated nature to embrace positivity in various transitions in life allows me to find comfort in change. Growing up, my curiosity revolving around new people and environments allowed me to further my empathetic nature as an immigrant who has navigated the network of multitudes of perspectives. My openness and optimism in exploring diverse perspectives has allowed me to explore and develop my family life, academic journey, and faith life; in essence, being an immigrant, first generation student, and curious learner influences me to recognize the strength and capacities that diverse individuals around me embrace.

Growing up in a Polish household, I have been invited to connect with different communities around me. Though I was not born into any of these communities, I have learned to use my empathetic nature to navigate my personal connection to the communities that have welcomed me. Coming into these communities as a slight outsider ultimately allows me to gain insight on superfluous amounts of perspectives, while contributing to my own as well. This strength, which allowed me to relate with those around me, began to motivate me as I transitioned into high school; during my first days at DSHA, the faculty, staff, and students all opened my eyes to the strength and capacities individuals of DSHA embrace.

Trying to escape the first day jitters as I was welcomed into the DSHA community, I quickly found comfort in the institution. This newfound comfort came from the profound perspectives I encountered on my first day; the teachers that greeted us were anchored in encouragement, and my peers were eager to learn. As I tried to take in this new experience, I was showered with endless opportunities that DSHA welcomed each of its students to partake in. As an immigrant, I had only navigated my way through life in different experiences at school, but I was curious to expand my perspective. That is, the various support systems rooted in the DSHA community opened my eyes to

involvement opportunities such as volleyball, classroom engagement, and faith-based service. I eventually became grounded in the support DSHA had to offer me. In particular, DSHA served as my main support system through which I embraced my eagerness as an immigrant to explore a new chapter in my life; my teachers invited me to talk about my outsider perspective in classroom discussions, and my peers encouraged me to embrace my cultures.

Growing up in a bilingual household, I have subconsciously supported two vastly different cultures, which has assured me to grow love for helping and supporting others. I became more conscious of my motivation to help and support others as DSHA introduced service to my faith life. Though DSHA introduced the importance of service to me, it was not until my morning talks with Director of

DSHA '84, that I really understood. We would talk each Collections Day — the days when hundreds of DSHA students, faculty, and staff collect items for local food pantries or other organizations in Milwaukee.

I found I wanted to dive deeper into the relationship aspect of service. As Dr. Pickart opened the back door to the DSHA building each Collections Day morning, she thanked each parent for their daughter and welcomed young women into the doors of the DSHA community. She strived to form a faith-filled relationship with many students. Through meaningful conversations with Dr. Pickart, she introduced me to the goodness and kindness rooted in the relationship aspect of service early in my high school years, which has impacted me greatly. In this way, Dr. Pickart and the other members of the faculty and staff at DSHA helped me mature into the person I was looking to be. It was through this high school experience where I realized the members of the DSHA community, who I saw on a daily basis, encompassed the vitality of relating with others in order to mature in all aspects of life — family life, academic journey, and faith life.

As the members of the DSHA community welcomed me through the back entrance of the building, into classrooms, and to various lunch tables, my high school experience allowed me to interact constructively with the shared perspectives of the DSHA community. As I furthered my knowledge in opening up to new perspectives, I began to gain a new outlook on service. Coming from an immigrant family, I was searching for the relationship aspect of service where I could empathize and relate with others in some way. As a result of DSHA helping me mature into the person I wanted to be, I felt as though forming relationships through service would help me do the same with others. When I serve, I reach out to others that are not part of my community in various ways. I have served children, the elderly, and individuals with special needs; in this way, I have reached out to those outside of my community in hopes to further understand diverse perspectives.

One way in which DSHA helped me develop in the relationship aspect of service was through Vocare. Over these two weeks, I served at Saint Charles Borromeo Parish where I listened to and supported the needs of first, second, fifth, and even eighth graders. Being able to reach out to these children for two weeks allowed me to become a present and attentive part of their community. As I came into this experience not only questioning my ability to form relationships within service, but also open to growth from this opportunity, I strived to connect with these children so that they could embody their hidden strengths and capacities. The perspectives of these children that I encountered demonstrated their small, but mighty eagerness to mature into the person they would like to become. While these two weeks may not have been life-changing for these students, I saw the ways I was able to help them grow their strengths inside and outside the classroom by becoming an additional support system for them. That is, I took the support that the DSHA community had given me over my four years of high school and transformed it into a positive impact on those I served.

I am now transitioning into the support of a new community — the Notre Dame community — in which the University of Notre Dame welcomes me to transform my mind and heart throughout my time inside and outside the classroom. Throughout this next chapter in my life, I am eager to fulfill my lifelong learning goal of expanding my knowledge on diverse perspectives. The impactful Notre Dame education and experience that DSHA has prepared me for by making known the goodness and kindness of Jesus through service will transform my mind by augmenting my knowledge and critical thinking abilities and transform my heart by increasing my empathy, interpersonal skills, and faith. In this way, DSHA has prepared me to become an active member of all of the communities that I adhere to, experience, and serve.

Julia Wojciak, DSHA '22