The Argonaut

Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: News

Sister Dorothy Stang

Sister Dorothy Stang

The Dorothy Stang Center is a new addition to the NDNU community. Located in Kane 9, the center is a place to provide time, resources and a method for the community to focus on social justice.

NDNU, founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame, encourages students, faculty and the community to help promote and achieve the university's central mission of social justice and global peace. The university is inspired by the work of sisters like Dorothy Stang in promoting social justice.

Stang, born in Dayton, Ohio, and a naturalized Brazilian citizen, became an advocate for the rural poor in the '70s. Her work as a Sister of Notre Dame led her to Brazil in search for justice for farmers and workers against overbearing land owners and deforestation.

A 1964 graduate from NDNU, Stang was brutally murdered by wealthy land owners while helping poor farmers in the jungles of the Amazon. She died in pursuit of a cause close to her heart. Her death remains a testament to the work and cause of social justice and global peace.

The NDNU community developed the center in memory of the work of Stang. Led by administrators and other university staff, the Dorothy Stang Center provides the NDNU community a resource to promote and practice the university's mission.

"The program provides leadership for NDNU - both curricular and co-curricular about what community engagement is," said sociology professor Dr. Don Stannard-Friel.

Social justice is an issue important to Stannard-Friel. His work in San Francisco's Tenderloin is an example of the kind of community engagement the center would promote.

The center uses outside sources via seminars, activities, collaborations with outside organizations, and events to challenge students to apply what they learn at the university and help promote social justice. One of the many events involves photographer Michael Collopy to host a show of photos around campus of ten prominent people who foster peace in their works. The art will be a donation of time and supplies by Collopy. Various works of these individuals will be placed around campus in the library and classroom halls to inspire and encourage students.

This "little" program on campus will bring resources together and to make a powerful contribution to social justice and peace," said Stannard-Friel.

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