SHU Students Enjoy Exciting Winter Break Opportunities

Two performing arts groups performed internationally at historic venues

Despite being on break from classes, numerous Sacred Heart University students continued to learn and grow over the winter recess. From volunteering in Bridgeport to studying and performing internationally, students experienced once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to share with their classmates upon their return to campus.

CURTIS Week

Community Understanding and Reflection Through Inner-city Service, or CURTIS Week, is an annual week of engagement and immersion in the Bridgeport community. This year, students volunteered at Wilbur Cross Elementary School and Connecticut Foodshare, where they prepared food boxes for veterans and the elderly. They also volunteered at nOURish Bridgeport, which serves hot meals at its soup kitchen and provides people with groceries, baby formula and diapers. The nonprofit organization nOURish Bridgeport was founded by Rev. Sara Smith, a SHU interfaith chaplain. 

“My favorite part of the week was experiencing joy in the simple things, like seeing a child smile when we taught them a new sight word, and the look on people’s faces when we gave them a box of food,” said Laurel Hanrahan ’27.

Lauren Pisano ’25, who has participated in CURTIS Week for the past three years, especially appreciated the religious components. Students learned about different religious communities and immersed themselves in their practices.

“I enjoyed [Buddhist Chaplain] Venerable Shim Bo’s meditation practice and meeting with his congregation,” said Pisano. “I also enjoyed meeting with Rabbi Josh Ratner, eating dinner with his congregation and having the opportunity to ask questions I have always wanted to ask.”

Study abroad and research in Dingle

As in the past, SHU offered a two-week, intensive program at the University’s campus in Dingle. The experience provides students with all the amenities of a tourist haven, but in an authentic setting with traditional Irish culture.

Nicholas Duca ’24 said traveling to Dingle was his last opportunity to study abroad before graduating. He took a class on the history of Irish pubs and toured several distilleries and breweries. Despite only being in Dingle for two weeks, Duca said the class offered him and his classmates plenty of time to learn and explore the area.

Another Dingle class examined Celtic religious traditions and earned students religious studies credit. Madison Abood ’26 said the chance to take the class was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“We went on so many field trips to various sites,” she said. “It was so cool to see the places in person that we were talking about in class.”

Other students traveled to Dingle to work on a biology research project. Jillian Pereira ’24, Mary McManus ’26 and Emma Scheibl ’24 accompanied their professor, Kirk Bartholomew, to work on a long-term project comparing river water quality in watersheds in and around Dingle. They measured the physical conditions and nutrient levels in the Milltown, Feohanagh and Owenmore rivers and collected samples that will allow them to compare the bacteria and fungi species suspended in the water. The results of their work will be presented at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference at Niagara University in New York in April as well as at SHU’s own undergraduate research event in April.

“Typically, when you’re thinking about biology research, you think of a lab. Getting out of the lab and conducting research in Ireland was an amazing experience,” said Pereira.

Band travels to Ireland

The University’s band performed at St. Mary’s Church and the Chapel of the Sacred Heart in Dingle, the Galway Christmas Market in Galway, St. Mary’s Cathedral in Limerick and Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin. The band’s tour included performing at the European premier of composer Steven Rosenhaus’ JFK: A Profile where students saw Rosenhaus conduct. All performances were open to the public and attracted large crowds.

“We called this trip our ‘little international tour.’ The whole experience was just remarkable,” said Maryann Droesch ’24. “Between performing and traveling to different locations and landmarks, any amount of time there would not have been enough.”

Choir travels to Mexico

The University’s choir traveled to Mexico for nine days and performed in three cities. The group performed to sold-out houses at the Parroquia de San Lorenzo Diácono y Mártir in Mexico City, the San Pedro Museo de Arte in Puebla and the Centro Cultural San Pablo in Oaxaca. Christopher Grundy, director of choral programs, gave a vocal recital, accompanied by John Morrow, assistant director, at the Museo de las Culturas in Oaxaca.

“Every single one of our performances was fully packed. It was amazing,” said Jennifer Tilden ’24. “There were people coming in who had to stand in the back of the room. It was really cool.”

Between performances, the choir traveled to important cultural sites across Mexico. The members visited the Aztec pyramids at Teotihuacán, the Frida Kahlo Museum, the ancient Zapotec city of Monte Albán and numerous vibrant local marketplaces and attractions.

Students Lauren Pisano, facing, and Emma Schroeder volunteer at CT Foodshare in Bridgeport as part of CURTIS Week.