From Research to Relationship
How a Notre Dame graduate turned research, relationships, and culture into a community learning experience.
“Muko tayari, chefs?… Are we ready, chefs?”
Working in both Swahili and English, a group of South Bend students embarks on a culinary adventure combining literacy skill-building with multicultural understanding. This experience, led by a former undergraduate in an Institute for Educational Initiatives (IEI) academic program, paired with a member of the university’s dining hall staff, is part of a community tutoring program designed to deepen learning through experiential opportunities.
Research-practice partnerships are at the heart of the IEI’s work. The institute’s initiatives connect teachers and students with the research, resources, and ideas that serve as foundations for cultivating relationships and hands-on learning. The way these efforts build on one another, fostering inspiration and collaboration, is what makes the institute unique in the field of education. For Meg Beuter '24, this was integral to her formation, opening windows in her thinking that bridged an interest in education with service in action.
Beginning with an Interest in Education
The story begins with Meg Beuter, an AmeriCorps member serving at the Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC) in South Bend, an off-campus educational initiative of the University of Notre Dame that hosts programs and enrichment activities for all ages. Meg graduated from the university in 2024 and spent a year in Kenya as a Fulbright scholar teaching English. “I came to Notre Dame as a student interested in education,” said Meg, who majored in American Studies and English. This interest led her to minor in Education, Schooling, and Society (ESS), a program at the IEI designed to help undergraduates understand education systems through an interdisciplinary lens. Because ESS challenges students to examine education and ways to bridge gaps, they often find they can connect their learning to deeper societal problems. “ESS made me think about education as a means for justice and a way to empower youth,” said Meg.
Each ESS student completes either a semester-long capstone project or a year-long thesis. Working with Professor Mike Macaluso, Meg’s thesis analyzed transcripts from a Tutor-ND book club for middle school children that focused on the graphic novel When Stars Are Scattered. Recipient of the Alexandria Award, a literary prize recognizing literature for young people that reflects Catholic Social Teaching, When Stars Are Scattered follows Somali children growing up in a refugee camp in Kenya. Meg’s undergraduate research examined book clubs as a tool for literacy education and effectively connected several IEI initiatives: Service-focused Tutor-ND, which supports impactful tutoring with research-based practices, and the Alexandria Award, named for St. Catherine of Alexandria in honor of her brave and tenacious character. Both efforts call the institute home.
Turning Research Into Practice
But what began as a research project became something more. After completing her Fulbright-funded teaching assignment, Meg found an opportunity to combine her experience in Kenya with her thesis work on literacy and adolescents. As part of her new work as an AmeriCorps member, she was tasked with enhancing students' reading experience. Meg began developing a new book club for students at the RCLC, utilizing Tutor-ND resources to support reader engagement and discussion around When Stars Are Scattered. The book club offered an additional opportunity to bring the novel to life for local children. To do this, she sought out someone who could demonstrate Kenyan life and culture: Elizabeth Ndani
Mama Elizabeth, as she is fondly called, has worked in North Dining Hall at the university for eight years. Originally from Kenya, she is always eager to share her culture with others. Meg met Elizabeth during her time as a student through Swahili Masses held on campus. “She cooked these amazing meals after Mass, feeding all of us,” said Meg. “When I was planning the enrichment activities for the book club, I knew that Mama Elizabeth needed to be part of it.”
Together, they planned an afternoon of cooking and Swahili culture. On her day off, Mama Elizabeth spent the entire morning at the center preparing the meal, including dishes such as pilau, kuku, and mandazi. The children could smell the aromas wafting from the small kitchen, waiting for the moment when they would don their chef hats and help prepare the food. “I enjoy cooking so much,” said Elizabeth. “My skills are a gift, and I feel so excited to share them with the kids. It will make the book more real and alive.” Using both English and her native Swahili, Elizabeth and the children created a Kenyan feast to help them connect with the book in a new and meaningful way.
Rooted in Care and Connection
Bringing the book to life is not just about making it exciting for the children; it is also about creating connections that deepen their lived experience. “Our students are learning about so much together,” said Meg. “They are making connections to what they know, while also being introduced to the unfamiliar through someone they would never have met otherwise.” This approach is central to the Robinson Community Learning Center, where care and connection create the conditions for meaningful learning.
Meg’s work with the center’s book club illustrates how those connections take shape. “She took the seeds of her time at the university to her work in Kenya,” said Clare Roach, associate director of the Robinson Community Learning Center. “Then she brought back what she learned and kept it growing, bringing in the children at the center and inviting Elizabeth to broaden understanding through her firsthand knowledge and expertise.”
Meg Beuter drew on her background as an ESS student, the resources of Tutor-ND, and ties at ND Dining to create a book club at the Robinson Community Learning Center that continues to build relationships through learning. “The Swahili word for community is ‘Jumuiya,’ and that is what we have here,” said Meg. “Through this book club, we are sharing thoughts, food, and fostering community. It has helped the kids understand how literature can connect them to a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.”
