Hi everyone, my name is Mark Grabowski and I am the Advocacy Intern with LMM for the summer of 2021. I was born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan (25 minutes Southeast of Detroit), but don’t worry – I am being converted to a Clevelander!
I graduated from John Carroll University (JCU) in May of 2020 with a degree in Marketing and I decided to continue my education at JCU as I am now pursuing my Master’s in Nonprofit Administration. In addition to my education, I also serve as a Graduate Assistant and Resident Minister in the Campus Ministry department at JCU, where I am a pastoral presence in a first-year residence hall and also help assist with liturgies, retreats, and marketing.
In my undergrad years at JCU, I was involved with our Campus Ministry department, the Center for Service and Social Action (CSSA), and various sports communications initiatives. I have had experience leading retreats, participating on an immersion trip to Chiapas, Mexico, facilitating small faith groups on campus, and taking pictures at lots of sporting events. At my core, my faith is the center of who I am and I have this desire to show God’s love to the world. This spans back to my childhood, where I have always wanted to go out of my way to make someone feel valued, important, and loved.
A few years ago, I had one of my first breaking points, where I had an awakening that a life in the sports industry was not for me. I decided to switch out of a sports major to now pursue my life’s call to accompany those who feel forgotten in this world and work for justice.
Three years ago, through CSSA at JCU, I visited LMM for the first time as a group of us students joined the women in the Chopping for Change Program for a dinner filled with community and relationship-building. I was in awe of the Chopping for Change program, the love in the air, and all of the people I encountered that evening.
This day still remains in my heart and mind as the women I ate dinner with and the organization as a whole made such a lasting impact with all of the love, kindness, and warmth I felt from each person I encountered on that day.
Ever since that day, I knew I wanted to be involved with LMM in some way and three years later I am grateful for that longing in my heart to become a reality.
Life is a journey and I believe we are all in this world to help each other. We are all on the same team.
I’m excited to work on advocacy and communication initiatives to promote justice and live out God’s call to allow others to feel loved at this amazing organization.
