FAIRFIELD, Conn.—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 of communication studies 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
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.”
About Sacred Heart University
As the second-largest Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing private doctoral institutions in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has a campus in Dingle, Ireland, and offers online programs. More than 10,000 students attend the University’s eight colleges and schools: College of Arts & Sciences; School of Communication, Media & the Arts; School of Social Work; School of Computer Science & Engineering; College of Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology and the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing. Sacred Heart, a Laudato Si’ campus, stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition, and Best Business Schools: 2024 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliate station, WSHU Public Radio, a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theatre. www.sacredheart.edu