Let your life change the world
One person at a time.
Let Your life be the presence
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.
~ Danielle Rose, Be God's
Greetings from the tip of Mount Crumpit!
My name is Tierney Vrdolyak, and I am a sophmore living in Breen-Phillips Hall who currently studies Marketing and the Program of Liberal Studies. I enjoy enterprising pursuits such as marketing and entrepreneurship as well as social and artistic endeavors including creative reading, thinking, writing and designing.
During my free time after school work, business and liberal arts activities are complete, I sing in the Liturgical Choir, perform at AcoustiCafé, play club lacrosse and a healthy dose of Just Dance, bike, run and journal.
As you may well note, I am enthusiastic about many-a-thing, but the Appalachia Social Concerns Seminar and its accompanied service immersion trip is one in which I am most enthused. Through this ePortfolio, I hope to guide you through my journey.
Overview of Appalachia:
Geographically, Appalachia is an over 200,000-square-mile region that follows the spine of the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi, encompassing all of West Virginia and twelve other states.
Economically, the region was a national host to the agricultural, forestry, mining and chemical industries.
Environmentally, however, due to the huge influx in industrial participation, the land once teeming with life is now facing a depletion of natural resources.
Socially, the inhabitants of these towns have suffered greatly fom the effects of economic instability, poor working conditions, and the like.
In recent history, the region has become more diversified in terms of economic oppportunity. Still, there is much aid need, as some communities require basic roads and sewage systems.
Personal Goals:
I chose to partake in the Appalchia seminar because it is my deepest desire to form my understanding of the world and its challenges in light of the Church's teaching. I am beyond blessed to have the opportunity to put my understanding to work during my service at Bethlehem Farms, a Catholic site in West Virginia. For otherwise, I would have been sitting comfortably within my own home -- devoid of the instigation to be wholisticly formed and transformed in faith, hope, and charity. I do not want to waste a week in my hometown knowing that there are both places and people who I can trully encounter in Appalachia.
