University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

Page 106 text:

A homeless man searches through a plastic bag of his few belongings. Many of Ann Arbor ' s homeless found refuge under trees and scattered places on Uni- versity property. An Ann Arbor homeless man, thankful for the warm temperatures, sleeps on church stairs in the afternoon. Ann Arbor ' s homeless relied on local churches or the Huron Street shelter for a place to stay. 102 Voices

Page 105 text:

RELIGION er tnA,cnt ' fi driana Yugovich Students lived in the here-and-now, forever focus- ing on that next task. But for many these obligations did not alone complete or define their lives. There ' s no place like college for living inside your head, but the belief that there ' s something else out there, something beyond ourselves, provided an important framework for many students surviving at the University. Religion could play an im- portant role in student ' s daily personal lives. As Ed Pauls, a junior Business school student, explained, My religious back- ground has a bearing on a good number of my moral and ethical decisions, such as in reporting my hours as atutor to the Athletic Department. When students ar- rived on campus, they became newly independent, solely respon- sible for our their actions and decisions. Students depended upon our personal philosophies to guide us, of which religion can play a major role. Sometimes student ' s experiences at the University helped redefine and shape a belief system. As Chris Zent, a senior chemical engineering major, remarked, So many things used to frustrate me. I took joy in temporal things rather than in something that ' s al- ways here. Zent then joined one of the many religious groups present on campus, Campus Crusade for Christ, which he described as great resource for people. It ' s not just a fellowship group, but one centered on helping you Adriana Yugovich The First Congregational Church on the corner of State Street and East William welcomes in- coming and returning students. Many Christian students continued their worship at school in various student chaples. AYlA grow in a personal relationship with Jesus. Reli- gious groups or associations on campus helped bring students together in search of spiritual com- munity. The multitude of such groups also re- flected the religious diversity present at the Univer- sity. That diversity flowed in part from the University ' s nondenominational status. Lack of an official religion certainly did not lead to an absence of spirituality, but rather to an abundance of committed faiths. As Chris Olsztyn, a junior history and German major, described, If you get to know people, reli- gion plays a large part in their lives. I don ' tthinkwe ' re afraid of religion here. People think we ' re really ambivalent, but I think, across all religions, we ' re really connected to our respective religions. Kevin Cooney, an LSA third year English and History major, also felt religion played a powerful role, Religion is for the most part invisible on campus, which makes it so powerful and invasive. It be- comes not so much about the outer form as the inner essence. Religion, whether practiced pub- licly or privately, played an important role in the lives of many students at the University. College proved to be a time not only about learning to do laundry and pulling all-nighters, but also about exploring and building upon spiritual beliefs. Religion 101

Page 107 text:

HOMELESSNESS by rob capriccioso or one time or another, 1 street corner, freftftl} the hett AiA this happen to him. or Many students thought that homeless people were unmotivated, lazy, dirty, or just plain ignorant . First year ISA student Aradhana Bajrdava asked, Is there really homelessness on the University of Michigan campus? After all, many of us did not or chose not to recognize those situations in life that did not have a direct affect onus. Students were often taken aback as homeless people asked for spare change. Or, as one anonymous ISA first year stu- dent simply put it, they are frightening. Some students felt obligated to do a good deed for the day and drop a dime or a few pennies into a homeless man ' s can. But what would have happened, if bysome extraordinary circumstance, a young student ended up on a street corner? What if a student were to wear battered shoes for just one day, a week, or for the rest of their lives? What if University students were to join the ranks of the approximately 40,000 homeless people in the southeastern portion of Michigan? ha n ' t seen d A.A, ont twnft on Atuetty pondering Greg Kessler A homeless woman sorts through a Univer- sity trash receptacle on the corner of South University and State Street to find cans. The aluminum cans were returned to collect the ten cent refund. in Students did not contemplate if they would have a home, instead they spent hours looking for the perfect house or apartment. Homeless people, however, sat on the corner near Taco Bell waiting for food to be thrown out at the end of night. I think they should go get a job. Ann Arbor is full of employment opportu- nities and instead they are just sit- ting there waiting for money to come to them, said junior Business School student Mike Langdon. University students involved them- selves with the homeless as tutors, through bucket drives, working at the Huron Street shelter, or serving food at a local church. Project Serve sponsored Community Plunge, an event where students could work at the Huron street shelter. Habitat for Humanity, another organization students were involved in, dedicated their time to re- building abandoned homes in hopes that homeless families could move into them. It ' s wonderful that people have volunteered their time to give others what we have and they don ' t, said sophomore nursing student Kristy Wierzba. Greg Kessler Homelessness 103