Michael Gong, '15, spent many hours fulfilling a service learning requirement at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center (CCJDC) during his freshman year at John Carroll University (JCU). It was as much a learning experience for Gong as it was for the youth he mentored. Together with Ned Barnes, '15, and JCU's Center for Service and Social Action, that learning experience became only a starting point.

 JCU's Arrupe Scholars program provides a mission-based scholarship to several students each year as it seeks to build leaders for social action. As an Arrupe Scholar, Gong fulfilled the service requirement by mentoring youth in the CCJDC in a program called "Passport to Manhood."

"Everyone has stereotypes about what a juvenile delinquent is, but in reality, these kids are not like that. They have goals and dreams, and they're hard-working," said Gong. Read more.