Student: Paul Kalapala

Paul Kalapala
He/Him/His
Senior - Biology major, Business Administration minor

Where are you from? 
I’m from the Chicago Suburbs! I really enjoy being able to attend school in the city, but also go back home to the suburbs in the summers and for breaks. It really gives me the best of both worlds! I get to experience the city, which is always full of life and things to do, and the suburbs, which have more of a small-town feel to me!  

What do you like to do? 
I’m what one might call a “movie nerd”. It’s always been a big thing in my family to do Friday Family Movie Nights – so I’ve grown up watching dozens of different movies and TV shows with my family! I also have a passion for cooking and trying new recipes. Admittedly, I’m still developing my skills in the kitchen (my roommate can tell you several stories of my recipes gone bad). However, I love being able to experiment in the kitchen and explore the dishes of different cultures. In particular, I love cooking Thai and Cajun Food!  

How are you involved in Community Service & Action?
I attend CSA’s Weekly Volunteering opportunity at the St. Thomas of Canterbury Soup Kitchen!  

Why do you engage in the community?
My Community Service has always stemmed from my Christian Faith. I believe that everyone is made in the image of God. However, despite this, many populations in Chicago are underserved. They lack access to basic necessities – like food and clothes. Initially, when I joined the soup kitchen – I simply wanted to do my part to provide for these communities. However, as I continued to work at the soup kitchen – my service became much more meaningful. As I began to know the guests better, I saw that they were rich, complex people. They were kind and interesting and generous and funny. They are valuable and precious in God’s sight – and they are worth serving, loving, and fighting for. This has been my driving force to continue serving and engaging with these Communities.  

In the spirit of Sr. Jean and her belief in the goodness of people that she shares in her book, “Wake Up With Purpose,” where have you seen the goodness of others in your community engagement experiences?
One of the places I have clearly seen the goodness of others is in the CSA’s very own Soup Kitchen Leaders. After talking with the leaders, it did not take me long to notice how empathetic and considerate they were. They truly have an incredibly deep care for each of the people in the communities they serve. Not only that, but they display a genuine leadership and care for the Loyola students that they lead every week. They thoughtfully consider how to make this service experience something that is welcoming, rich, and developmental for the students. Often times, they take extra pains to step aside so that other students will have the opportunity to engage more fully in the service work. To me, they embody a sense of goodness, service, and integrity.  

How are you involved at Loyola outside of CSA?
I am involved in several different campus organizations at Loyola: The American Medical Student Association, Agape and Ecclesia (a Protestant Campus Faith Organization), and AMDG. Recently, I helped to co-found Heart for the Unhoused Chicago. This Homeless Outreach organization also seeks to care for underserved populations in the Chicago area by providing them with important medical education and healthcare resources. My involvement in this organization is partially inspired by my experiences at the soup kitchen!  

What tips do you have for building and maintaining community in college?
Building Community takes all sorts of shapes and forms. It does not always require extravagant actions. Sometimes, building community simply means reaching out to the people in your class to form a study group or talking to your floormates in your apartment to get coffee. Every person needs community. If we are each able to reach out to the people around us – to check in on them and make an effort to know them – we can build a truly supportive and flourishing community. However, I recognize that reaching out to others might be difficult. Sometimes we’re not in a position to help others. Sometimes we ourselves need to be helped. We are in need of that community. In that scenario, allow yourself to be helped. Allow yourself to get involved in the organizations and groups offered at Loyola.  

What advice would you give to an incoming student at Loyola?
College can be intimidating. We’re suddenly thrust into an entirely new environment with an enormously steep learning curve. What’s perhaps most difficult for us is finding friends – finding a group of people that we care about and that care about us. It’s easy to get discouraged if we aren’t connecting with very many people. I would encourage incoming students to be hopeful and patient: Finding community can take time. The truth is, however, there are likely a lot of people feeling the same way you are. Try to keep your eyes open for the people are the margins – who might be feeling left out or neglected. Make an effort to connect with them and get to know them. You might just find that you’re building your own community of people.