A few times per month, students from St. Joseph’s Academy gather with the Sisters of St. Joseph (CSJs), coming together for watercolor sessions that bridge generations through art and conversation.
Nicknamed Watercolor With the Sisters, this program takes place at Nazareth Living Center.
Dr. Jennifer Sudekum, the Principal of Academic Affairs at St. Joe, piloted the program in 2023 following a request from Sister Pat Dunphy.
“Sr. Pat Dunphy was the principal here when I was teaching art,” Sudekum said. “She and I have maintained a relationship ever since she retired. She called me last August, so August of 2023, and asked me if I knew anyone who would be willing to teach Ceramics With the Sisters.”
Sudekum said that at the time she had been praying about ways in which she could give back and be of service to others using her gifts and talents.
“I didn’t even have to think about it,” Sudekum said. “I told her, ‘Well, I will totally do this.’ And it has just brought such joy to my life. I go as many Saturdays as I can.”
Last year, Sudekum led Ceramics With the Sisters at Nazareth before shifting the program to Watercolor With the Sisters this summer.
“The Sisters were really interested in learning how to watercolor or have experience as an artist,” Sudekum said. “So we’ve enjoyed watercolor; they love it. We had some sessions in the summer, and then we started back up this fall; there are six sessions this fall, and we’ve already completed three.”
When Sudekum travels to Nazareth, she brings along student volunteers who are also seeking ways to give back to their community. Sam Lynch, a senior at St. Joe, has attended Watercolor With the Sisters four times this year and plans to continue participating throughout the fall.
“I first started to volunteer when Dr. Sudekum said during Community Time: it’s a good way to go outside your comfort zone,” Lynch said. “For service hours, I would kind of stick to donating something or just helping someone for a day. This way, you really get to bond with people that you would never expect to, and you create memories that will last a lifetime.”
Lynch said she highly recommends volunteering in this program to other students.
“I believe everyone should do it,” Lynch said. “It’s a great way to seek out new people beyond your grade because students from freshmen to seniors can participate. I have a really close sophomore friend now who I would not usually talk to in the hallways, but now we are really close, and we talk all the time.”
Sudekum plans to continue the program as long as the Sisters want her to come.
“We learn so much about each other,” Sudekum said. “It’s a nice way to be with the people who gave so much to me and my education—to give back to them. It’s one of those things that has just really helped fill up my heart with a lot of joy.”
