SHU Initiative Leads Professor and Alum to Meet the Pope

Mark Congdon and Keresha Donaldson represented North America at a global symposium in Rome

Mark Congdon, Jr., did more than introduce his Sacred Heart University students to service-learning through his Uniting Hearts initiative: he also won a prestigious award and shook hands with the pope because of the project.

Congdon, assistant professor in the communication & media department and director of inclusive excellence education at SHU, and alum Keresha Donaldson MA ’22 met Pope Francis during V Global Symposium Uniservitate in November in Rome, Italy. Congdon was one of two educators in North America to receive the 2024 Uniservitate Global Service Award for service-learning experiences in higher education, which included a trip to the symposium.

Congdon launched Uniting Hearts in 2021 as a service-learning unit in his undergraduate advertising and public relations (PR) campaigns class, which is part of SHU’s strategic communication, public relations & advertising major. For eight semesters, his students have taken on real-world communication and PR campaigns to build allyship, increase financial literacy and raise money for community partners. They have also helped register voters on Sacred Heart’s campus.

When told he could bring a student to the Rome symposium, Congdon immediately thought of Donaldson. A graduate student in the strategic communication & public relations master’s program, she helped implement the Uniting Hearts initiative and remains involved in the program.

Donaldson teaches digital design at Warren Harding High School in Bridgeport, and she says she enjoys working with people who are like-minded. “After I graduated from SHU, the service-learning aspect of the class did not end, and [Professor Congdon] asked me if I would still help. I live right in Bridgeport, and Sacred Heart is still a part of my community. It was a no-brainer to stay engaged.”

Congdon and Donaldson presented their initiative to the symposium’s global audience. Donaldson described the symposium as “a U.N. meeting” with many cultures represented from all over the world. “That experience was an award in itself. This was melting-pot global,” she said. “Every global person had their moment.” Although participants came from different countries, the needs they were trying to address were similar, she added.

At the symposium, the pope spoke to educators and students about how service-learning in Catholic schools and universities fosters a sense of “communal responsibility” in students. “In this way, Catholic educational institutions live up to their name,” the pope told attendees. “For any school or university, being ‘Catholic’ is more than having a distinguished adjective in its name; it signifies a commitment to cultivating a distinctive pedagogical style and teaching consistent with the teachings of the Gospel.”

Both Congdon and Donaldson had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis in a moment Congdon described as “filled with profound emotion and shared reverence.” The atmosphere in the room was charged, Congdon said, as everyone collectively experienced the culmination of days of collaboration and connection.

“I thanked Pope Francis for the hope and inspiration he provides and for always standing up for social justice for the marginalized,” Congdon said. “After meeting him, I got really emotional, and I did not expect that.”

Donaldson described the experience as “surreal, amazing and a blessing all rolled into one moment.”

Uniting Hearts reflects SHU’s mission

Prior to attending the global symposium, Congdon and Donaldson presented their initiative to 30 award nominees from the U.S. and Canada at the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities conference in San Diego, CA.

Francis X.R. Origanti, senior vice president of mission & culture at Sacred Heart, said Congdon’s efforts align with the University’s mission. “The Uniting Hearts initiative has significantly impacted Sacred Heart University by promoting social justice and community engagement,” Origanti said. “This initiative has inspired students to actively participate in service-learning projects, enriching their academic experience and personal growth.”

Origanti continued, “As a Catholic university, Sacred Heart emphasizes the education of students in mind, body and spirit, preparing them to make a meaningful difference in the global community. The Uniting Hearts initiative embodies these values by fostering a culture of service, social justice and community engagement. Mark Congdon’s dedication to Uniting Hearts exemplifies these principles, encouraging students to engage in impactful social justice initiatives and truly reflect the University’s mission and Catholic identity.”

As a result of the Uniting Hearts program, Sacred Heart will be opening a student-run public relations agency called the HeartFusion Media Collective Agency, focusing on nonprofit organizations. Uniting Hearts will be folded into the agency, and students will continue to make real-world impacts while gaining valuable communication skills.

Reflecting on the experience, Congdon said, “[At the symposium] they talked about how education was an act of hope, but I see it as more than that. I see education as love and heart. It’s mind, body and soul. It’s hope realized in and with community.”

Photo: Mark Congdon and Keresha Donaldson meet Pope Francis (photo courtesy of ©Vatican Media)