Meet Lauren Masse. Service is a family affair.

Volunteering and spending time with those in need has an obvious and undeniable impact on the recipients of this kind of kindness. But what’s often unrecognized is how service work impacts those who are behind the scenes or on the frontlines, using their personal time to help others.

For Lauren Masse, a senior nursing major at SJC, working to better the lives of others has brought her out of her shell. What started as a family tradition – giving back by volunteering and donating to those in need – quickly grew into a passion that Lauren was able to bring with her to Saint Joe’s.

“I started my service work journey here at Saint Joe’s by going to Mass on Sundays. By chance, Father Gabriel picked me out of the crowd and began asking me to do small things like reading at mass. From there my comfort level grew and before I knew it I was being asked to do things that really required me to put myself out there like starting a student support group, and speaking at a retreat. As nerve wracking as these experiences may have been, I always said yes. And because of that, my comfort level has grown so much.”

Whether it’s leading a eucharistic service, or organizing a fundraiser, Lauren jumps at the chance to give back. This year, Lauren worked with fellow SJC Senior Kathryn Huntress to revamp the Saint Joe’s social work club, now called Mindful Monks. Lauren serves as the club Vice President.

“We’ve transitioned the objective of the club to focus more closely on the mental health of students and education about self care practices. We share mindfulness practices and tips on our social media account, and organize fundraising events on campus to get the whole SJC community involved. Recently, we put on a grilled cheese fundraiser where 50% of the proceeds were donated to Toys for Tots. We worked so hard on this and the end result was so gratifying.”

Lauren’s work occasionally takes her off campus as well. “I’m part of the Student Nurses association, and each year we participate in Making Strides, a breast cancer awareness walk that helps the American Cancer Society fund breast cancer research and provide a number of patient services. This year was a great time and we were able to raise money for the organization.”

As with many SJC students, Lauren’s resume is a long one, yet she still finds the time to give back. “I make it a commitment. I genuinely enjoy doing these things, and it means so much more to me than just checking “community service” off my to do list. Plus, it’s a great way to stay involved. And it doesn’t stop once I go home. My family and I volunteer at our church throughout the year and make it a tradition. These values are instilled in me from my parents. And at the end of the day, I’m having fun.”

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