Students often have a difficult time when choosing a college or university — it’s a big decision and there are many factors that come into play. For Nicole Lind, there was no question in choosing DePaul University. After a visit in DePaul’s overnight program, Lind knew DePaul was where she wanted to spend her college years.

“I got to experience DePaul’s urban atmosphere, and got to know its personality,” Lind recalled. “But most of all, I connected with the value of the Vincentian mission.”

Originally from Terre Haute, Indiana, it would have been easy to stay in her hometown for college. But Lind’s parents encouraged her to branch out, break norms, and discover what the rest of the world had to offer. She enrolled at DePaul as a chemistry major and once in Chicago, Lind soon saw the diverse communities in the city and felt compelled to play a larger role than just a student. Lind became involved with service immersion projects and changed her major to intercultural communication to accommodate her growing interest in the field.

“I saw the societal issues Chicago faces, such as racial segregation and poverty,” Lind said. “I fell deeper in love with the city, and it made me want to help change the realities of it.”

Since her freshman year, Lind has participated in four service trips that concentrated on social issues in the United States and also around the world. In Los Angeles, she explored the effects of homelessness, and in Harlem County, Kentucky, she explored issues of rural poverty. In St. Louis, Missouri, Lind learned about unequal education and the opportunity gap. In El Salvador, she explored peace, conflict and reconciliation in a Central American context.

Lind graduated in December and since that time, traveled to Nicaragua for three months where she worked to maintain and further develop the gardens at a school for children with special needs.

Along with the mission trips, Lind credits her classroom experience for fostering her passion for social change. One class in particular, Culture of Consumption, taught by associate professor Barbara Willard, allowed Lind to learn about consumerism in America, which also provided an opportunity to look under the surface of social issues.

Lind reflected on how her experiences at DePaul helped put words and theories to the values she developed growing up. “Gandhi said, ‘Live simply so others can simply live.' It’s certainly something I can apply to my own life and do to challenge my habits.”

Looking forward, Lind is unsure where the next few years will take her. Ultimately, she would like to work on education reform in Chicago or put her love of the Spanish language to good use in Central America. Wherever she ends up, Lind plans to continue challenging herself and others.

“I want to pursue an organization that has the potential to positively affect people,” she said. “I can’t imagine working for anything other than social change.”

Written by Rachel Marciano

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