If Gabriel Trevino sends you an email, you’ll find an inspiring quote from Maya Angelou at the end of his message: “Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.”
Indeed, that rings true for Trevino, a senior in psychology with a focus in family and marriage therapy.
That bright light is evident in his receiving Newman’s ASC Service Award scholarship. One requirement of the award is that each student must complete 45 hours of community service per semester, along with one semester-long service/leadership class per year.
Connection with past generation
As part of his capstone project for the scholarship, Trevino pursued an initiative he titled “Bridging a Gap: Connection with Past Generation.” When he began thinking about how he, as an ASC scholar, wanted to impact the Wichita community, he asked himself, “How can I pick?”
“There are so many ways to truly impact our community,” Trevino said.
It wasn’t until he reflected on a past choir experience — visiting the ASC Wichita Center building to sing Christmas and worship songs for the sisters who lived there — that his service project idea clicked.
“When we went to perform, we would go greet the sisters after our songs, tell them about ourselves and truly connect with them,” Trevino said. “It was heartfelt and felt fulfilling. Then it hit me — our community overlooks our senior citizens way too often, and oftentimes, stories and advice gets lost. To make a true impact, it was time to push that message for not only myself, but for others around me.”
He thought: what better place to make a difference than the nearby Catholic Care Center?
Catholic Care Center project
As Trevino developed the project, he knew he would need volunteers, especially fellow students, so he advertised across campus and recruited 10 peers.
The group visited the Catholic Care Center to play bingo and puzzle games with residents. The activities were meant to spark conversation, and reflection time allowed students and residents to dive deeper. Students asked questions like “What’s the most memorable piece of advice you can remember?” or “What challenges allowed you to define what success means to you?”
“The time spent was magical,” Trevino said. “The residents were inspired to share their story of life and what they had experienced. At some point during our conversations, one of the residents there shared a powerful message of beating cancer. The person shared that even though they learned the idea of struggle, God was there all the way.”
(Trevino next to Jagger)
At the end of their time together, a couple of residents told Trevino it was the most inviting and powerful experience they had ever had. Initially, they hadn’t been inclined to leave their rooms, but afterward, they were glad they had.
“Matter of fact, they wanted us to come back, and I plan on doing this again,” Trevino said. “For the students, the residents’ powerful messages inspired them to not only live life to the fullest, but live life through the eyes of God. I had the privilege of chatting with all of the residents that attended, and it was a blessing to joke with them and share with them.”
Service is a core value
For Trevino, service is important because it connects his values to his actions.
“Service is not just about helping those around you, but recognizing other peoples’ dignity and understanding the need for humanity,” he said. “Service not only challenges me to respond to different needs but opens my eyes to a new world of servitude for the benefit of common good.”
That commitment shows up in other ways on Newman’s campus. Trevino is a former SGA vice president, captain of the Sloppy Joes Improv team and a member of multiple organizations and clubs — roles that allow him to share ideas for the student body, gather valuable input from others and participate in community engagement opportunities as an ASC Scholar.
After graduating this spring, Trevino plans to pursue licensure as a family and marriage therapist as yet another way to put his passion for service to work.
When he first arrived at Newman, however, his goal was to become an occupational therapist.
“There’s such a need and demand in this field, and I was destined,” Trevino said. “It wasn’t until this year when I started to dive into the world of therapy and its demands for everyone. Newman not only opened my eyes, but it gave me a realization. Although occupational therapy would be amazing, my instinct to help a family and their needs felt more personal.”
Two courses, “Advanced Psych Seminar” and “What is Business For?”, also shaped that change.
“These two classes changed my perspective in my career world and shifted my gears toward my vocation,” he said. “Newman is helping me prepare for it since it shaped my service-oriented spirit, as well as challenging me through critical analysis, evaluating research and even reflection writing. These three lessons are not only showing me the world of servitude but also cultivating a way to engage my community through empathy and professionalism.”
Trevino credits his professors as well, particularly Assistant Professor of Psychology Whitney Burke, whom he considers a role model.
“She not only encouraged me to become a better researcher but challenged me to go above and beyond my skill level,” he said. “Take ‘Methods of Research’ for example — one of my hardest classes I have taken so far. Dr. Burke showed us the importance of research, its fundamentals and how to complete our own research. She made time for one-on-ones, provides honest feedback and holds me to higher standards.”
For Burke, Trevino is a great example of how positivity can make a difference.
“Even when he’s tired or balancing a demanding day, he makes space for others and shows up with genuine happiness,” she said. “His presence is steady, uplifting, and sincere, and through this reflects how much he deeply values others, no matter their differences or background. As a student, he is curious and driven. It’s been a joy to have him as a student, and his presence will be missed on campus once he graduates.”
Newman’s ASC Scholarship
Named for and sponsored by the founders of Newman University, the <a href=”https://adorers.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Adorers of the Blood of Christ</a> or “ASC” sisters, the ASC Scholarship is automatically awarded at the time of acceptance to students who self-report a 3.75-3.89 GPA.
