The Faculty and Staff Vincentian Heritage Tour
The Office of Mission and Values offers regular opportunities for members of the university community to deepen their understanding of the university's patron, by participating in guided Vincentian Heritage study tours to locations in Paris and throughout France associated with the life and works of St. Vincent de Paul.
Faculty/Staff tours take place bi-annually. Participation in the summer tours is open, on a competitive basis, to all full-time faculty and staff who have a demonstrated interest in the Vincentian heritage, mission, and values of the university. Applicants must provide a personal statement as to how they envision this trip helping to deepen their commitment to the university's mission as they live it out in their own departments. They also must provide a letter of endorsement from their supervisor. Thus, the trip's goal is to encourage the deepening of Vincentian leadership among faculty and staff members. Travel is not considered part of the employee's vacation time. The trip is funded by a three way split between the participant, the participant's department, and the Office of Mission and Values.
Participants take part in a series of Vincentian-themed history, spirituality, art & architecture, and praxis seminars during the Winter and Spring Quarters to give them the necessary background to prepare for, and fully engage in the trip.
Rev. John E. Rybolt, C.M., Ph.D., a Life Trustee of the University who presently serves as Vincentian Scholar in Residence for the Office of Mission and Values, together with Rev. Edward R. Udovic, C.M., Ph.D., Senior Executive for University Mission, are the on-site guides for these trips. Both are experts in Vincent de Paul and Vincentian history.
As part of the program, group members are asked to share their experiences in some form with their colleagues upon their return to the university. These reflections may be shared at departmental meetings, or other university events. Upon their return, participants must also submit a short written reflection on how they have begun to integrate their intense study of Vincent de Paul with their daily work at DePaul University.
One of the Participants for the last tour, Ruhan Memishi, associate director of university communications for DePaul University, created a travel blog about her experience.
Click to be taken to her blog.