Summer Projects Concludes with Faith Formation for College Students

The relationships built during a fellowship are some of the most valuable things our educators carry forward: the people who've stood beside you in the classroom understand challenges no one else quite gets. Investing in those connections after the fellowship ends isn't just nice to have; it's how careers grow, ideas spread, and good teachers become great leaders. If you are a City Teaching Alliance alumnus or know an alumnus, please tell them to join the Legacy Link!

Sometimes I find myself thinking that the most important work we do in community development isn't the projects we complete. It's the people we form. Over the past few weeks, I've had the privilege of walking alongside our current CHE interns. As we've moved between the classroom and the field, I've found myself reflecting on what truly prepares someone for a lifetime of Integral Mission. Knowledge matters. Good tools matter. But neither is enough on its own. Communities don't need experts who arrive with all the answers. They need humble servants who know how to listen, walk alongside others, nurture local leadership, and faithfully reflect Christ in both word and deed. Perhaps that's why I've come to believe that the best classroom has always been the community itself. Every home visit, every conversation under a tree, every community meeting, every moment of reflection becomes part of the learning journey. Communities are not simply where we apply what we've learned—they become our teachers, shaping us as much as we hope to serve them. The more I reflect on this, the more convinced I become that formation must accompany information. Our calling is not simply to prepare competent community transformation practitioners. It is to help form Christ-centred disciples and faithful servants who serve from a place of being deeply rooted in Christ, walking alongside communities with humility, wisdom, and hope. Because lasting transformation begins with transformed people. "I am the vine; you are the branches... apart from me you can do nothing." — John 15:5** #IntegralMission #WholisticDevelopment #CommunityTransformation #CHE #LeadershipDevelopment #Discipleship #FieldBasedLearning

What happens when you teach a course on power and landscape in the city that has spent centuries perfecting both? This summer, Professor Lisa Balabanlilar taught Imperial Gardens (HIST 320) through the Paris Summer Program, examining the relationship between political authority and garden landscapes with the Rice Global Paris Center as home base and the city itself as the primary text. Morning seminars gave way to afternoon excursions from the rigid formal geometry of the Tuileries to the small neighborhood parks of the Marais. The cohort came from across the university: two history majors among 15 students alongside peers in STEM and business. “I don't teach history majors or Asian studies majors. I teach people from every corner of the campus,” Balabanlilar said. The experience is already reshaping her teaching in Houston, where she is developing a more experiential approach to her spring course on Asian gardens. It’s an example of place-based instruction in Paris returning to enrich the home campus. Learn more about the Paris Summer Program: https://lnkd.in/gx5EaeEV

Every year, MC produces something no ranking captures. Graduates who go into closed countries in Southeast Asia to share the gospel in places where that work is dangerous. Graduates who lead worship at some of the largest churches in America. Graduates who provide healthcare to underserved communities in Mexico on faculty-led mission trips. Graduates who spend their summers as missionaries. 500+ MC students served globally on summer mission trips last year alone! That culture of faith and service permeates everything we do. At MC, faith isn't a chapel requirement you check off and move on from. It's the thing that shapes how our graduates show up in their careers, their communities, and their families for the rest of their lives. Our students log over 100,000 hours of community service every year. Not because they have to. Because they've been formed by a place that believes your degree and your calling are the same thing. In the last decade, MC has seen over 700 reported salvations within our student body. I've been here my entire career. I've watched thousands of students walk across that stage. The ones who change the world aren't always the ones with the highest GPA. They're the ones who left here determined to impact the world for Christ in their chosen fields. At MC, we believe there's a better way to do Higher Ed. #ChristianEducation #FaithAndWork #HigherEd #MissionDriven

Summer months offer time to rest and recharge, but also bring big questions about the next school year. When it comes to resources and accommodations, many families are unsure of what is available, which can make navigating school for their children that much more difficult. At PEACE Academy Charter, they believe that every scholar deserves access to learning opportunities that meet their unique needs and support their academic, social, and emotional growth. One of the most common questions families ask is: What is the difference between an IEP and an EIP? While both are designed to provide academic support, they serve different purposes and are developed through different processes. Read Dr. Coleman's blog and share it to ensure more families have access to this important knowledge! https://lnkd.in/dVqcdVVq

What does it look like when career growth and Jewish identity aren't treated as competing priorities? This summer, nearly 200 college students are finding out. They're testing materials that could turn sunlight into fuel, inspecting bridges on Israel's light rail lines, and sitting with patients at Shaarei Tzedek Hospital, all while building the rest of their day around real Torah learning in the Beit Midrash. JLIC Summer is proof that students don't have to choose between building a career and staying serious about Jewish life. Read more about the program: https://lnkd.in/gguqYGrU

Every student’s journey abroad begins long before they board a plane. It begins with a conversation, a dream, and often, with parents who are placing their trust in someone else to help shape their child’s future. This short video captures a small part of what makes my work so meaningful: listening to parents. Whether they come from Mozambique, Zambia, Brazil, or anywhere else in the world, I make it a priority to meet them personally, hear their hopes and concerns, and share my own experience of once being an international student. I understand the emotions because I have lived them too. One experience that profoundly shaped me was Sheila journey. We had recommended an external company to assist with part of the visa process, and unfortunately, things did not go as expected. It was one of the most difficult moments in my professional career. Although the mistake was not made by our company, I felt a deep sense of responsibility because the recommendation came from us. That experience taught me invaluable lessons about accountability, due diligence, transparency, and the importance of clearly communicating who is providing each service. Sometimes leadership means carrying the weight of situations you did not create, simply because people trusted your guidance. Challenges like these have strengthened the way we operate. They have reinforced our commitment to protecting our students, supporting their families, and ensuring that every partnership reflects the standards we promise. To every parent who has trusted us with one of the most important decisions in your family’s life: thank you. Your trust is never taken for granted, and your stories continue to shape both me and the company we are building. This is why education is more than admissions. It is about people, responsibility, and relationships that last far beyond the first day at university.

Excellent insight on the future of college access, success and workforce preparation . The ground is shifting right below us. How can we continue to help students’ and families’ achieve their goals in this new reality?

In a world filled with AI slop, please listen to this real message from Dr. Jeremy Reuther, PhD, of my high school.

Since 2009, Archbishop Mitty's Mission to Education program has paired seniors with local Catholic school students, creating weekly opportunities to mentor and learn alongside one another. Along the way, many Monarchs discover a deeper understanding of service—and for some, a lifelong calling to teach. See how one innovative program has shaped students, classrooms, and future educators for more than 15 years by checking out the Summer 2026 edition of the Mitty Magazine: https://lnkd.in/g9jVCvGj