In preparation for the on-the-ground immersion experience, immersion participants engage in a quarter-long cohort program learning about the complex historical, social, economic, and political realities of the communities they are to visit. Over the years, students have traveled to West Virginia, Belize, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Mexico, among other places, to learn from and serve alongside marginalized and vulnerable communities with whom we have long-standing relationships. Each program draws on the wisdom and richness of Ignatian Spirituality. In passing through the cycle of experience, reflection, analysis, and action, students gain skills for critical reflection and for integrating their experiences into their vocational discernment. All students - undergraduate and graduate - are welcome to apply.
Click the link to apply now for the 2023 Mexico Immersion: https://seattleu.campuslabs.com/engage/submitter/form/start/565942
Learn about the complex issues surrounding immigration, just housing, and border relations between the United States and Mexico while cultivating relationships with and working alongside community members in Tijuana, Mexico. Our long-time partner organization, Esperanza International, works within communities to support families in building dignified housing. In addition to spending their days working with families, in past years participants have had the opportunity to visit a shelter for migrants passing through Tijuana on the way to the United States, to spend time at the border wall learning about the issues and policies surrounding it, and to visit local community health initiatives, among other activities.
| Program Dates | Spring Break |
|---|---|
| Formation Information | 8 weekly meetings throughout Winter Quarter, 1-2 post-trip integration meetings. |
| Cost of trip | $1200 |
| CM for Social Justice | Annarose Jowenson (ajowenson@bc.edu) |
*$50 deposit due upon acceptance to immersion. Financial commitment may be fundraised or paid out of pocket. As part of the formation experience, the group of students participating on this immersion will work together to develop creative fundraising efforts to offset the cost of this immersion. Often, fundraising covers the majority of the cost for most students.
Click the link to apply for the Appalachia Immersion: https://seattleu.campuslabs.com/engage/submitter/form/start/565942
Learn about the history, culture, and challenges of communities in Appalachia through the lens of environmental justice. Campus Ministry partners with the Appalachian Institute for this week-long experience, which includes conversations with community partners, visits to relevant sites (such as a mountaintop removal site), and intentional reflection with the immersion community.
| Program Dates | Spring Break |
|---|---|
| 2019 Formation Information | Weekly on Wednesdays in Winter Quarter, one post-trip integration meeting |
| Cost of trip | $1200 |
| CM for Social Justice | Annarose Jowenson ( ajowenson@seattleu.edu ) |
*$50 deposit due upon acceptance to immersion. Financial commitment may be fundraised or paid out of pocket. As part of the formation experience, the group of students participating on this immersion will work together to develop creative fundraising efforts to offset the cost of this immersion. Often, fundraising covers the majority of the cost for most students.
Join us for this immersion that takes place over a long weekend in Vancouver, Canada. Vancouver is home to a rich diversity of faith traditions and the vibrant communities that grow up around them. Spend your weeks of formation learning about the different faith communities you will be encountering, as well as considering questions of the possibilities and difficulties of interfaith engagement today. For the capstone experience, you'll join your fellow participants in Vancouver, where you'll have the chance to meet with various faith communities and learn about their beliefs, the challenges they face, and the ways they are working to engage their broader Vancouver community.
| 2023 Program Dates | 5/26 - 5/29 |
|---|---|
| 2023 Formation Information | Once per week prior to trip in Spring Quarter |
| Financial Commitment* | $225 |
| Contact | Alex Booker |
*$50 deposit due upon acceptance to immersion. Financial commitment may be fundraised or paid out of pocket. As part of the formation experience, the group of students participating on this immersion will work together to develop creative fundraising efforts to offset the cost of this immersion. Often, fundraising covers the majority of the cost for most students.
Each year, the family of Jesuit high schools and colleges gathers in Washington, DC for the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. Organized by the Ignatian Solidarity Network, the IFTJ is an opportunity for both education and advocacy. Students will attend a conference featuring a host of speakers, both peer and professional, working for justice across various issues in the world today. Following the conference, attendees will convene on Capitol Hill for a day of action and advocacy, lobbying their respective representatives about the issues they have learned about the days prior.
| Program Theme | Radical Hope, Prophetic Action |
|---|---|
| Program Dates | November 16-18 |
| Formation Information | 3-4 meetings prior to trip, 1 post-trip integration meeting |
| Financial Commitment* | TBD |
| Contact | CM for Social Justice |
*$50 deposit due upon acceptance to immersion. Financial commitment may be fundraised or paid out of pocket. As part of the formation experience, the group of students participating on this immersion will work together to develop creative fundraising efforts to offset the cost of this immersion. Often, fundraising covers the majority of the cost for most students.
[The Mexico Immersion] simultaneously enlivened and sobered my idealism - enlivened it because I have never seen so much cause for hope or evidence of it on people's faces, and sobered because true change happens slowly.
Past Participant Mexico ImmersionThis has been a capstone of my time at SU, and I will carry the hollers of West Virginia and their beautiful people in my heart for a long time. Their hospitality and pride has truly ignited a curiosity and willingness to live deeper and fuller in my communities.
Jacqueline Shrader Participant
Alex Booker, Religious Diversity Campus Minister, and Annarose Jowenson, Social Justice Campus Minister, are Staff Companions on the 2023 Interfaith Immersion. They will be working alongside the student leaders to plan the formation meetings and accompanying program participants through their immersion journey.