Students looking for a chance to serve their community can find volunteer opportunities at SERVE, a volunteer fair hosted by the Office of Service Learning.

Representatives from over 40 nonprofit organizations representing schools, shelters, community centers, environmental groups and after school programs, among others.

Students with service learning requirements and those who just want to do their part are encouraged to come. Students can feed their appetites while they feed their longing to help as complimentary food will be served.

It will be held between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the St. Charles Room at the Danna Student Center on Friday, Sept. 11. Students can call Kelly Brotzman, director of the Office of Service Learning, at (504) 865-2282 with any questions.

—Jean-Paul Arguello

Ramadan dinner coming Sept. 8

Loyola students will have a chance to experience a bit of Arabic culture at the eighth-annual Ramadan dinner hosted by both University Mission and Ministry and the Atlas Foundation, a local organization that promotes a dialogue amongst people of varying faiths.

Muslim community members will be in attendance to answer any questions about Islam.

There will be Turkish food and music as well. It will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the St. Charles Room at the Danna Student Center on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Admission is free. Call George Gallien, director of the Interfaith Ministry, at (504) 864-7921 with any questions.

— Jean-Paul Arguello

Institute examines public education

Loyola is attempting to quantify the success or failure of New Orleans public schools with the creation of the Loyola Institute for Quality and Equity in Education, thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Ford Foundation, a nonprofit based in New York that works to promote social justice around the world.

The institute will conduct research on how charter, state-run and New Orleans school board-run schools serve underprivileged students in post-Katrina New Orleans.

It is the first of its kind to study New Orleans area schools since Katrina forced the then near-bankrupt Orleans Public School System to hand over control of its schools to various charter organizations across the New Orleans area.

Research may be used in the creation of public policy that ensures students receive a quality education and that human resource are evenly distributed, said Luis Mirón, dean of the College of Social Sciences, in a Loyola press release.

New Orleans has the country’s largest concentration of charter schools, making it the biggest charter school experiment in America’s history of education.

— Jean-Paul Arguello