In June of this year, a “Character and Charism Committee” was formed after receiving a grant to focus on character development and a non-violent atmosphere at Clarke University. Sister Joan, the Chief Mission Officer, and a representative for the committee, paid a visit to the University’s Softball team to discuss her perspective and offer some history and wisdom. She talked about a promise of non-violence and movement to improve campus welfare and atmosphere, that Mary Frances Clarke once took during a time of conflict in the 1800s. Starting with the softball team, the desired result is to spread the movement throughout the whole community.
Sister Joan is a part of the Character and Charism Committee along with the Softball coach, Garland Shirley. The University received a $50,000 grant from the character education at Wake Forest University to focus on developing and building character for students and employees. The grant’s purpose is to encourage respect and the core values by the initiation of events and workshops to foster awareness within the Clarke Community. The committee provides initiatives throughout the year to help people become the best versions of themselves, focusing more substantially on the core value of freedom. During a committee meeting, Coach Garland and Sister Joan imagined a non-violent movement and brought the concept to the Softball team first, in hopes that the movement will be passed on to Clarke staff and students.
With the shared commitment of a non-violent life, the Softball team has taken a promise to discourage violence on and off campus. They wear a bracelet with the Greek letter T, “tau”, that represents the rejection of violence and works to create community through positive peer support. Wearing the “tau” essentially means, “sorry can’t, made the promise”. It implements the refusal of conflict and simply walking away from violence, lying, stealing, and committing adultery. The softball program has taken a step further to offer wristbands with the same quote, “Sorry can’t, made the promise” and encourage others to also take this promise.
Via social media and an informational stand, the non-violence movement was introduced to the Clarke community on October 8, 2024, during the Women’s Volleyball game. The students set up a stand for people to visit and learn about the movement, the history behind it, and how the Clarke community can improve awareness. The conclusive goal is to create influence for students and keep people accountable for their behavior and actions. Violence comes in multiple different ways and their motive is to end these disrespectful acts on campus. By handing out the wristbands that say, “Sorry can’t, made the promise”, it allows students to say “NO” to negative behavior and be able to share the promise with others. The Softball team is planning to attend more school events with the stand to spread the positive message to more people on campus.
Some history behind this movement stems from Mary Frances Clarke, the founder of Clarke University. In the early 1800’s in Ireland, people’s lives were constantly threatened with violence. Mary Frances, along with Margaret Mann, Rose O’Toole, Eliza Kelly and Catherine Byrne took a promise to reject disrespectful behavior and joined together to express a powerful love of neighbor. When they came to America, they formed schools and developed an approach to teaching that respected the natural aptitude and character of each of their students. It is the goal of the softball team to revert to these roots of respect in demonstrating positive behavior, honor towards parents, and love of Gods self and neighbor.
*Changes to the article have been made post-publishing
Comments