The RUIBAL Challenge

A Villanova student coloring with a young boy at a table

What is RUIBAL?

We are a weekly service program where students serve K-8th grade children in Philadelphia through tutoring, mentoring, and building mutually beneficial friendships with the children at service.

By attending service, educational events, and RUIBonding, students are challenged to grow in their understanding of what service is and transition from service being something they do to service being a way of living. 

How does RUIBAL work?

Weekly Service:
Villanova students are put in groups with fellow students who have a passion for service and justice work. Volunteers commit to serve for three hours one day each week throughout the semester. Opportunities are offered Monday-Friday from 2:30-5:30 pm and 3-6 pm (including transportation time). Groups travel to Philadelphia schools and community centers to serve at their after-school programs as tutors, reading coaches, and mentors. 

Groups are led by sophomore students who coordinate all the logistics of service: they drive the RUIBAL group to and from service in Villanova vans, they serve alongside you, they foster reflective conversations during the van rides to and from service and they serve as a resource for you while at service and on campus. 

Volunteers are assigned to serve at one of our partner sites for the entirety of the semester. Each site is unique in terms of how volunteers spend their time serving. Some of our schools have a greater emphasis on tutoring while others are more open-ended and our students help prepare crafts/activities for the children.

As a whole, our service is based on creating real, life-giving relationships with the students.

Educational Events:
Offered at least once each semester, RUIBAL students are required to attend one "Walking In Their Shoes" (aka WITS) event that are hosted by the RUIBAL Community Outreach of Villanova program chairs. 

WITS events welcome staff from our service sites to campus to lead an interactive, hands-on learning experience about a timely social justice topic. WITS events are an integral part of the RUIBAL program because they provide an opportunity to learn more about social justice issues that might be impacting our community members. We have a responsibility to educate ourselves on these issues so we can approach service with sensitivity and a better understanding of our community from a holistic perspective. 

RUIBonding:
RUIBAL groups are given a budget to use for RUIBonding events throughout the semester for group bonding activities like dinner after service, mini golf, attending a movie together and more.

The Three Pillars of RUIBAL

Service

Empower youth to value education by serving as a positive influence in their lives. RUIBAL requires volunteers to attend service as often as possible, making a true effort to have service become a way of life and not an activity that is "done" once a week.

Relationships

Form meaningful relationships with your peers and the youth at service! Youth at service sites notice when RUIBAL volunteers are absent because our volunteers leave a lasting impact on the students at service, and RUIBAL volunteers feel like part of their week is missing when they are unable to attend service.

Social Justice

Better your understanding of the various ways social issues show up for yourself and our community members. It is imperative we learn from and listen to the needs of our community so we can serve them in the best way possible.

CLEARANCES & BACKGROUND CHECKS

Due to the PA Act 153, all volunteers working with minors are required to complete a set of clearances prior to attending service. 

When registering for RUIBAL, you will select a time to attend a Clearance Workshop for us to walk you through the clearance process.

Get a head start on your clearances to begin the process.

RUIBAL

WHERE WE SERVE

We are incredibly grateful for our relationships with our community partners! Please click the links below to learn more about each of our partners.

North Light Community Center

St. Laurence School

Richard Wright Elementary

St. Frances Cabrini

THE RUIBAL LEGACY

Started by the Ruibal family in the early 2000s, RUIBAL has grown into a program that coordinates 100+ Villanova volunteers each semester to serve in Philadelphia, amounting in hundreds of service hours every year. 

Want to learn more about how to get involved with RUIBAL? Email us today!

HEAR FROM STUDENT VOLUNTEERS

"I feel that RUIBAL helped break me out of my shell.  I feel that this past year of this service has taught me so much in such a short amount of time and I feel that there is still so much to learn from the children of the schools."-Christina O. 
"RUIBAL fosters relationships and healthy conversation with fellow Villanovans which has ultimately led to meeting some of my closest friends on campus. RUIBAL has been an integral part of my time at Villanova and has helped define the way I tackle present day life— by striving to build a community which creates change." -Henri D.
"I look forward to RUIBAL all week because hearing those children scream every time you walk down the stairs means something. RUIBAL, to me, was a highlight of my freshman year.” -Ellie B.
"There is a true feeling of community within the groups we are a part of as RUIBAL is filled with amazing people who are passionate about making a difference.  I'm very thankful that this program has opened my eyes to the injustices that exist within various underrepresented and underserved communities." -Jared G.
"RUIBAL redefined 'service' for me. Prior to this program, I often thought of 'service' solely as grand acts and big sacrifices. I had seldom interpreted 'service' as small acts (patiently helping a student with homework, attentively listening to another's stories, etc.) RUIBAL approaches service as an attitude not just an act." -Katherine D. 
"RUIBAL provided me with leaders who truly were my mentors throughout this entire year, and I feel so lucky that I had the opportunity to connect with my amazing leaders. RUIBAL and the RUIBAL community was a huge part of my freshman year experience at Villanova." -Colleen O.

ABOUT US

Located in the heart of Villanova's campus, Mission & Ministry is housed in St. Rita Hall. St. Rita Hall is named for St. Rita of Cascia, a 15th-century Augustinian nun renowned for her faithful perseverance and works of peace and reconciliation.

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