Alexa Bannon
La Salle University
Alexa Bannon, a sophomore psychology major at La Salle University, is a student leader active in issues of social justice. Alexa came to La Salle with an impressive history of service, and has expanded on that during her time at La Salle. As a freshman, Alexa began working with the University’s Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter, which partners with local Habitat for Humanity affiliates for service, advocacy, and fundraising. Now coordinating that program, Alexa has worked to attract new volunteers and create awareness opportunities for campus about housing insecurity. Alexa is also a student coordinator of Pheed Philadelphia, a hunger awareness program that works at two soup kitchens four days a week. As a freshman, Alexa participated in a three-week trip that provides in-class support and mentorship in Nyeri, Kenya. She will be leading a group of students traveling to Clarkston, GA to learn more about refugee resettlement in May 2020. Alexa actively encourages members of the La Salle community to become aware and involved in issues of social and economic justice, both locally and globally.
Personal Statement
I grew up living a life of privilege. Privilege is not something that you choose or pick, but rather something into which you are born. My parents always instilled in me that since I did have certain advantages, it was my job to use that privilege to help other people. As I grew older, that idea of helping others transformed into serving others in order to solve social issues. Currently, I am involved in and coordinate various service groups at La Salle, such as Habitat for Humanity and Pheed Philadelphia, where we focus on affordable housing, food insecurity, and hunger in the Philadelphia region. Through all of my service experiences, whether local or abroad, I have been able to form meaningful and long-lasting relationships with the people that I meet. Through these relationships, we are able to serve each other, grow together, and work toward solving systemic and cyclical social problems. I feel called to service and because of this calling I will continue to educate myself and others on the injustices I often see in order to create change so that any injustices a group or community faces are eliminated.
