APPLY FOR SLC

Servant Leadership Council Application

Catholic Campus Ministry at SMU is a home for forming servant leaders through an intentional and personal relationship with Jesus Christ through His Church.

Applications are due by 11:59 PM Monday, March 3rd.

You may use the form below or download a Word or PDF version.

Copies are also available at the front desk or from Margaret

Thank you for your interest in the Servant Leadership Council! Please spend time in prayer and conversation about how you might best serve our community, and reach out if it would be helpful to talk with us. We value your commitment to the mission of Catholic Campus Ministry!

SLC seeks to form students into servant leaders. SLC members must be practicing Catholic students who are committed to growing in the Catholic faith. They should be eager to develop the attitudes and skills of servant leaders and be ready to take responsibility for their ministry.

All members of SLC commit to:

  • A daily prayer life, regular attendance at Sunday Mass, and monthly confession

  • Witnessing to the truth of the Catholic faith in your life and words

  • Fostering authentic relationships with others at the C and on campus

  • Striving to grow in the faith and servant leadership through ongoing formation

  • Striving to grow in virtue, especially in the areas of chastity, sobriety, and excellence

  • Actively participating in your meetings with the campus minister or chaplain

  • Actively participating in all monthly SLC meetings, Leadership Summit, and SLC retreat

  • Providing timely updates about your ministry to the SLC and campus minister

  • Participating in Sunday Supper and Wednesday Night Ministry (if your schedule does not allow it, please discuss a plan of alternative involvement with campus minister)

  • Attending at least one Service Saturday each semester

  • Supporting other SLC leaders by volunteering for at least one other event per semester

  • Following all ministry or diocesan policies, including Safe Environment and driving policies

  • Putting forth the time needed to meet your responsibilities

Roles & Responsibilities

SLC President

The SLC president is an SLC member who fellow SLC members elect to serve as the SLC “team captain.” S/he encourages, energizes, and empowers the chairs to engage in outreach and carry out their roles. The SLC president should have been on SLC at least a year. You would:

  • Collaborate with the ministry staff on the mission and direction of SLC

  • Help plan and lead regular SLC meetings, including the Leadership Summit(s)

  • Help keep SLC members accountable for their responsibilities

 

SLC Treasurer

The SLC treasurer serves as treasurer in addition to a primary role on SLC. You would:

  • Serve as the student organization treasurer and as a liaison to the Student Senate

  • Assist with preparation of Senate budgets, process reimbursement paperwork with the Student Senate, and attend Senate meetings to request funds

 

Service

The Service Chair seeks to foster a passion for service. You would:

  • Recruit students to participate in Catholic Campus Ministry at SMU service events

  • Plan regular service activities (particularly Service Saturdays) with campus minister: identify and schedule service opportunities, recruit student volunteers, recruit volunteer drivers, maintain records, and serve as point person

  • Build relationships with on-campus groups such as Mustang Heroes and Mustangs for Life, and, when appropriate, facilitate CCM involvement in their service events

Community Building

The Community Building Chair/SLC Treasurer promotes community and a sense of belonging at the C.  You would:

  • Develop a vision and strategy for building community, and work to ensure that events foster community and belonging

  • Plan, promote, and execute community-building events (i.e., Back-to-School BBQ, SMUCUS, Mardi Gras, etc.)

  • Recruit and organize additional student volunteers

  • Organize groups to attend/participate together in campus events and informal activities

 

FYSH (First-Year Student Homes)

FYSH welcomes and draws first-year students into our community at the C and aims to help them integrate into our community and grow spiritually. FYSH leaders can be sophomores or juniors. You would:

  • Form authentic relationships with members of their FYSH group

  • Help first-years integrate into community-wide events such as Mass, Sunday Supper, Mustang Awakening, Wednesday Night Ministry, and Jericho

  • Participate in outreach events such as Night at the Club and the Back to School BBQ

  • Assist in special freshman outreach/community-building nights

  • Prepare for, lead, and present at weekly FYSH Bible Study during the Spring semester

 

Catholic Hispanic Association (CHACHA)

CHACHA builds community among students from Latin American cultures, encourages the faith of native Spanish speakers, and fosters a deeper appreciation for Hispanic Catholicism among all students. You would:

  • Recruit and schedule Spanish-language lectors

  • Plan and host meal for monthly Misa y Comida

  • Engage in outreach to native Spanish speakers who might not otherwise come to the C

  • Work with the campus minister to develop, plan, and host activities that will promote community and deepen students’ faith (such as celebrations for Día de Los Muertos, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe)

  • Work with campus minister and fellow SLC leaders to develop stronger connections between native-English and native-Spanish speaking students

 

Mustang Awakening Retreat Chairs

Mustang Awakening chairs plan, coordinate, and execute this student-led retreat. You would:

  • Help Campus Minister plan the retreat, including: help choose a theme, recruit and help train student staff, plan talks, coordinate retreat schedule, assist with logistics of retreat

  • Build a core team of student leaders and participate in weekly planning meetings

  • Participate in biweekly check-ins with ministry staff

  • Begin planning with campus minister during spring/summer months before the retreat

  • Chairs may choose to extend their SLC service in the Spring on a Retreat Support team


Liturgy

The Liturgy Chairs help others grow in their relationship with Christ and the Church through liturgical worship. You would:

  • Help prepare for Sunday and Holy Day Masses and prepare/plan for liturgical seasons

  • Serve as and/or recruit and train sacristans for Sunday and daily Masses

  • Recruit, train, and schedule students for liturgical ministry (ushers, sacristans, lectors, altar servers, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion)

  • Assist chaplain with other liturgical needs and help maintain the sacristy and liturgical items

  • Will be trained as an EMHC, lector, sacristan, and usher

Women’s and Men’s Ministry

Women’s and Men’s Ministry Chairs seek to build a community focused on growing in a deeper relationship with Christ, particularly through spiritual, moral, intellectual, and human formation.  You would:

  • Work with Campus Minister to develop, plan, and execute events specifically for men/women (formation events, social events, etc…)

  • Help students who want to get involved by connecting them with people and ministries  

  • Promote community among men/women through informal social activities and/or participation in campus/local events

Final Application Steps

1.     You may be asked for an interview so that ministry staff can get a better sense of your desire to serve and where your gifts would best be used.

2.     For off-campus events, we often need volunteers to drive other students. We ask SLC members to consider volunteering in this role.  You are not required to be a driver, but to complete your application to be on SLC, please either indicate that you are not prepared to be a driver in your application OR complete the Volunteer Driver Form (this needs to be filled out each year).

  • All students: Please complete the volunteer driver form.  Please answer all questions, including insurance policy limits if available.  The form requires a real signature.  Please return this form to Margaret.   

If you are not already cleared, please also:

  • Print, complete, and sign the Motor Vehicle Record release form (linked).  Hard copies are available at the front desk or from Margaret.

  • Provide a copy of your current driver’s license (a copy can be made at the C).

  • Return all forms to Margaret.

3.     All SLC members must be cleared through the Diocesan Safe Environment clearance process.

Please fill out the online screening form at https://dallas.setanet.org/screening.php

In the area titled “Location Info,” please list the following:

  • Location: SMU Campus Ministry-Dallas

  • Position: Volunteer

  • Title: Servant Leadership Council

On this form, you will need to list 3 references and their contact information—please include their email address. You may want to reach out to your references and let them know they may be receiving a request via email from the Diocese of Dallas so that they do not think it is spam.

The references should be individuals you have known three years or more. They should NOT be members of your immediate family.

This screening form also contains a release giving permission to run a criminal background check.

You are NOT required take any other steps than this in the Safe Environment system unless you wish to volunteer in another role. If selected to join SLC, you will be given instructions to complete the final steps to be cleared.