Dr. Shawn O’Rourke is the Director of the Undergraduate Sport Management Program, and the Graduate Sport Administration and Sport Product Development Programs. He has taught at Canisius College for over two decades, and in 2013 participated in the Ignatian Colleagues Program, operated by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. From these experiences, O’Rourke has drawn several strands of Jesuit and Catholic social and intellectual traditions that he incorporates into academics, including programs that span graduate and undergraduate curriculum, to simple day-to-day procedures that foreground the Canisius mission for students.
From Coursework to Community
At what he calls the “macro” level, Dr. O’Rourke has developed two programs “engage, encourage, and empower students to be active participants” in the community. This moves outside the classroom, online course space, or day-to-day class activities, and is more than simply encouraging students to do nice things. Instead, students develop themselves through service, by exploring how their acquired business skills can be deployed to promote services provided by charities. Additionally, students are aware that they represent Canisius College as an active, constructive institutional member of the local and regional community.
“There is incredible value in being of service to others.”
– Elizabeth Burg
Catholic Intellectual Tradition (CIT)
- Power of Beauty
- Dignity of the Human Person
- Innovation for the Common Good
Catholic Social Teaching
- Life and Dignity of the Human Person
- Call to Family, Community, and Participation
- Rights and Responsibilities
- Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
- Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers
- Solidarity
- Care for God’s Creation
Ignatian Pedagogy
- Magis
- Women and Men For and With Others
- The Examen
- Experience
Bowl n’ Blast
Students organize a bowling event, that raises money for Western New York-area charities. Student tasks include locating and booking and appropriate venue, enlisting sponsors, developing a prize scheme, and generally managing a community sport-recreation activity that raises both money and awareness for community-developing nonprofit causes.
Charities have included Habitat for Humanity, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, HITS Foundation, and Hunters Hope.
Altogether, the Bowl n’Blast events have raised over $140,000 for local charities.
Micro-Tyco Challenge
Students are given $1.00 USD, and challenge: In a single month, build and operate a business to raise money for charity. Participants are enrolled in two courses:
- Undergraduates in SPTM420: Economics and Finance in Sport
- Graduate students in MSA560: Moral and Ethical Issues in Sport
To participate, students obviously draw on skills and insights garnered in their Sport Management, Administration, and Product Development coursework. But the greater goal of Micro-Tyco is to create “sport leaders for a sustainable world,” according with the Jesuit tradition of fostering leadership and initiative in service.
Charity Partnerships have included the Punt Foundation, and Victory Sports.
Within Courses: Day-to-Day Ignatian Pedagogy
Dr. O’Rourke integrates Ignatian pedagogy into his courses, including two graduate courses:
- MSA520: Leadership in Sport.
- MSA560: Moral and Ethical Issues in Sport.
These are easy-to-integrate, but effective means to encourage students in connecting course substance with substantial or strategic purpose in their lives and careers.
Catholic Intellectual Tradition (CIT)
- Dignity of the Human Person
Catholic Social Teaching
- Life and Dignity of the Human Person
- A Call to Family, Community, and Participation
- Rights and Responsibilities
- Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers
- Care for God’s Creation
Ignatian Pedagogy
- The Examen
- Context
- Reflection
- Evaluation
Relevant Quotes
Each week, Dr. O’Rourke provides a quote within the D2L News Feed, that touches upon one or another Ignatian or Catholic intellectual or social traditions More than just “talking points,” these encourage students to reflect on the relationship between their work and their values. This uses a common toolset within D2L, and requires little additional effort beyond carefully selecting (and editing) quotes most helpful for students.
This is a simple but effective form of “teaching presence:” students reasonably conclude that Dr. O’Rourke, as a professional role model and mentor, values these mission-informed ideas in his work.
Conversation Assignment
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, O’Rourke created an assignment whereby students paired up for regular (remote or virtual) conservation. Less focused on course content, the goal is for students to see themselves and each other as part of a learning community rallied around “spirituality that seeks justice,” and where they cared about each others’ well being, beyond simply academic matters. Students then write a short synopsis of their conversation.
There are two crucial elements to this: Obviously, this is Cura Personalis – Care of the whole person, or in this case, the individual – in action. Moreover, writing is a powerful tool for reflection, where we write as much for ourselves as any reader.
Leaders in Balance
Most courses benefit by having a few central themes that bind together coursework throughout the semester. In MSA520, Dr. O’Rourke directs students to the Becoming a Leader in Balance and Daily Examen for Leaders in Balance as presented by jesuitresource.org, (Xavier University). In this way, students can integrate their day-to-day knowledge and skills with their self-development as leaders. The Examen helps student develop a “habit of reflecting on their day.”
The Becoming a Leader in Balance, together with the Daily Examen for Leaders in Balance, can be purchased as a laminated card from jesuitresource.org. It is also available for download.