Earlier this week I sat down with brother Connor Youngberg (pre med track 2022) to talk about our spring break experiences. While I spent time in Florida with friends, Connor dedicated his week off to more productive work. He decided to attend Appa, a campus-run program where groups of students work to build up a community. Here is what he has to say about the program, his experience, and how it affects students long term.
Tom: “Give us a brief outline of Appa, as in what their mission is, and how it works on BC’s campus.”
Connor: “Sure. So Appa technically concerns service in underprivileged communities on the East coast. Boston College students can simply sign up and will be placed in a random group of 9-15 other students and they will all travel to one of 50 locations to do a week of service. Anyone can sign up, and there’s no waitlist, so it’s a perfect way to spend your break by doing good in a community.”
Tom: “What was your Appa placement like? Describe your daily routine when you were there.”
Connor: “I served in a small town outside of Charleston, SC. Me and 11 other Boston College students worked on restoring an old church in the community, and were able to build it up a bit over the week we were there. Each day we’d wake early, have a group breakfast, and get to working on the church. After each day around 7, we’d meet back for dinner. My favorite parts were the nightly reflections where the group would discuss their feelings during the day, the challenges they had to overcome, and their aspirations looking forward.”
Tom: “If you were to recommend Appa to a BC student, what would you say?”
Connor: “The ongoing campus joke is that Appa is ‘life changing,’ but it’s obviously not that. I’d tell them what you put into it is what you’ll get out, meaning if you dedicate this week to meeting new friends at school, in your placement community, and to the service then you will have a meaningful experience. Instead of spending pocket money and traveling with friends on spring break, it’s good to know there is opportunity to give back to a community that needs help.”
Overall, Appa seems like an incredible experience, as our Massachusetts Iota chapter values service above most priorities. Looking forward, I will encourage other brothers to follow in Connor’s footsteps and sign up for Appa next year.
