Dr. Elizabeth Shewark partnered with Notre Dame faculty Allison Mitchell and Karla Badillo-Urquiola and DePaul to launch the first P.A.C.T. Fellowship Program this July. P.A.C.T., which stands for Purpose driven by Actions, Character, and Thoughts, is a five-day program for youth ages 13–18 who are particularly vulnerable to violence involvement.
The program brought fellows together with mentors and guest speakers for a week of conversations and community connection. Fellows also created projects about their experiences and worked together to envision what support could look like in their community.
The pilot program brought together community partners who shared their time and expertise throughout the week. The program was funded this year by the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Social Concerns.