ACU CitySquare is already making a difference in  its inaugural year.

According to  CitySquare’s  website, the CitySquare program in Dallas is a 25-year-old poverty-fighting enterprise. Its administrative headquarters occupies CityWalk, a 15-story building that since 2010 has provided a multi-faceted outreach program providing food to more than 35,000 neighbors each year, as well as health, social work and job training services.

ACU Citysquare provides a unique service opportunity for many students.

Stephen Johnson, dean of the honors college, is one of three administrators working on the project.

“What we are piloting is an Honors interdisciplinary studies degree that allows students to combine different areas of study,” Johnson said.

CitySquare offers resources for students who are studying specific areas, for example Political Science or Sociology, but this isn’t a limitation for those studying other fields.

“Anybody can get involved, and some of those involvements will be directly connected to courses they’re taking or to their degree programs. Some are co-curricular,” Johnson said.

One of the courses offered in conjunction with  CitySquare is Pols 420 which is is a Public Service class.

CitySquare also offers internships for students. Some of these internship possibilities include management, information technology, spiritual life, community health service, work paths, nurture knowledge and nutrition, law center, public policy, and community development.

Johnson also said that several interior design students are working on a design for a student housing complex.

“We are designing a multipurpose learning center where students can collaborate on projects, meet for classes, they can work individually in groups all on the 2nd floor,” Johnson said. “This is currently being designed by a design team for the university and construction  will be started by some point in the spring semester.”

Lily Assaad, junior psychology major from Cairo, Egypt, has participated in the program.

“Being in CitySquare was such an eye opening experience, not because we were exposed to the level of poverty there, because we see that everywhere, but because we witnessed and engaged with an organization that is powerfully and effectively working to reduce it,” Assaad said.