A Fire Was Lit

Hi Dr. Chmiel,

I know, it’s been great to keep running into you. And I have to say I have considered it a sign… I found out yesterday I was accepted to Americorps St. Louis. I am thrilled! I know it will be a challenging year of service, but I’m sure I will be surrounded by good people to help me through.

I also wanted to let you know that your class, and especially The Book of Mev, had a huge influence on my decision to decide to do a year of service. I obviously never met Mev, but in reading your book of her I was so inspired to take a leap of faith and do a year of service. As I read the book last year a fire was lit under me, but I was so frustrated in feeling like I couldn’t commit to anything that would make a difference the way Mev did. I was, like most college students, “busy.” The fire died out a bit, but I would often find myself thinking of Mev and her activism in social justice. So around Christmas time, (when I finally accepted the fact that I was going to be graduating) as I began to wonder what the next step in my life would be, I thought maybe I could act on that fire that had been lit. I of course was a little apprehensive, my parents knew nothing of this part of me. But having you and Mev in mind was always reassuring… here were two people that made it work and followed their passion.

It’s a great testament to your love of Mev that you were able to make her work live on through the book, and all the people it inspires.

So thank you.

-Anne

–Anne Schuermann studied in Social Justice in spring of 2006 and graduated from Saint Louis University in 2007 and is now finishing up her year with Americorps.