In a self-absorbed world, several recent college graduates have chosen to share themselves with some of the poorest children in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in an innovative teacher-training program administered through Loyola Marymount University.

As members of "The PLACE Corps" (Partners in Los Angeles Catholic Education), 44 young men and women will teach in 26 Catholic schools in the archdiocese while they earn a teaching credential and a Master's in either Education or Childhood and Adolescent Literacy at LMU.

Built upon a foundation of spirituality, community and professional development, the program in partnership with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the University of Notre Dame was designed to mentor and support faith-filled Catholic schoolteachers as they serve in under-resourced elementary and secondary schools. Its latest class of 20 members, selected from approximately 100 applicants, has graduates from universities across the country, including LMU, University of Notre Dame, Austin College, Boston College, College of the Holy Cross, University of San Diego and Cal State University, Long Beach.

"It's really refreshing to be with people who have similar goals such as making a difference in desperately underserved schools," said Molly McLean, 23, who will teach English literature at San Gabriel Mission High School while she attends the two-year program.

McLean, an Orange County resident who always wanted to become a teacher, learned about The PLACE Corps as an LMU freshman in 2000. She enjoys the comraderie and the "life-changing experience" shared by the members of her "Cohort 4" as they meet regularly for classes, worship and recreation.

"This appeals to young people," said Carmelite Father Albert Koppes, PLACE Corps founder. He said PLACE Corps participants embrace their service as a vocation and appreciate the support of LMU and the greater Catholic community. PLACE Corps members receive a partial scholarship and a portion of their Catholic school teacher salary as well as subsidized room and board. Participants must agree to remain single during their two-year teaching commitment over the course of the program.

"I love the support The PLACE Corps participants receive through LMU and the archdiocese, and I love the support I get," said Sister Cabrini Thomas, principal of St. Vincent School in Los Angeles. One of the teachers at St. Vincent is a PLACE Corps alumni and two are current PLACE Corps participants. According to Father Koppes, approximately 78 percent of "Cohort 1" and 85 percent of "Cohort 2" are still teaching in local Catholic schools.

For the past four summers since the inception of the program, new members of the incoming "cohort" attend classes and live on campus for several weeks before the start of school. At the July 29 commissioning liturgy held after the summer session, Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Azarcon Solis thanked the PLACE Corps participants for sharing their gifts and talents and being "agents of change and transformation" in a needy world.

"The commissioning ceremony was beautiful," said Cohort 4 member Mary Cashen, 21. A graduate of St. Bede School in La Caņada and LMU, Cashen said she's glad to be able to "give back" to the archdiocese. "I'm excited about educating students to become lifelong learners and lovers of their faith," declared Cashen.

For more information about The PLACE Corps, contact Diana Murphy, PLACE Corps Director at (310) 338-3774 or log on: www.lmu.edu/education/place/.