Thriving Neighbors
Thriving Neighbors is a community-engaged learning program that links Santa Clara University with the five, predominantly Latino neighborhoods that make up the Greater Washington community in San Jose. We promote collaboration between SCU (students and faculty), local agencies, and Latino communities in San Jose to create a more equitable and inclusive society:
- Foster education for K-12 Latino students, with a focus on STEM and leadership
- Co-create, execute, and evaluate programs to increase capacity development
- Offer SCU students the opportunity to put their expertise and knowledge into practice
Thriving Neighbors has grown from a long history of community engagement at Santa Clara University that spans back at least to the 1980s and continues ever stronger today. Its foundational roots are in the Eastside Project, which later became the Pedro Arrupe Center for Community Based Learning and then became incorporated under the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education.
In 2011, as the Ignatian Center’s community Based learning celebrated more than 25 years of engagement with the nearby communities, members of the Ignatian Center and the Advisory Board began to consider how the center may deepen its impact. Through a series of conversations with community members, grounded in research of best practices for community engagement both in the public sector and in higher education, the Ignatian Center staff determined that a place-based approach was the most strategic next step for University engagement with the local community.
The Greater Washington Neighborhood of San Jose surfaced as the ideal neighborhood to engage in a deep, meaningful, long-term, and mutually beneficial relationship for a variety of reasons. The existence of a critical mass of established community partners, proximity to the SCU campus, significant challenges impacting community members, and extraordinary assets in community leadership all created an environment rich for this partnership.
The Jesuit tradition of service for and with others is about educating the whole person—mind, body, and soul—and preparing students to create a more just, humane, and sustainable world. Our partnership with the Greater Washington community works in solidarity with community members to promote respect for human dignity, and create sustainable program models that improve community and university outcomes while making the community a more just and sustainable place.
Our vision has two focuses: SCU students will become responsible global citizens and inspirational leaders; and all students in the Greater Washington neighborhood will graduate from high school and prepared to enter post-secondary education.
The mission of this program is to advance the community by providing skill-based training, and community-engaged learning opportunities. Thriving Neighbors leverages the collective efforts of community members, faculty, staff, and students to develop initiatives that benefit the community at large. We mainly focus on education, capacity building at grassroots level, and advocating for principles of social justice.
Our Goal
The goal of Thriving Neighbors is to maximize the impact of community engaged learning grounded in Ignatian tradition.
- Foster SCU student development through community engaged, transformative, experiential learning for social justice
- Cultivate student development programs that foster and depend upon university-community partnerships at the local level
Aligns with AJCU Characteristics of Jesuit Higher Education:
- Commitment to Mission
- Academic Life and Excellence
- Pursuit of Justice and Reconciliation
- Ignatian Campus Culture
- Service to the Church
Our Approach
Our approach is based on capacity development, mutual respect and collective action.
- We value the participation of each one of the participants as active agents and advocates of their communities
- We partner with local actors who share our values and vision to amplify the positive impact of our actions
- We are committed to building relationships in which we can all learn, grow, and foster a sense of community
Our approach prioritizes the voices and needs of the community, and we will continue to seek out opportunities for collaboration to achieve our shared vision.
Our Programs
Since its formal launch in 2013, Thriving Neighbors has undergone significant growth and adaptation to align with the needs and expectations of our stakeholders, particularly our students and community members. Our commitment to strategic partnerships, effective operation, and capacity development has been instrumental in realizing our vision. As we embark on our second decade, we remain more dedicated than ever to providing sustainable and high-quality community engagement programming. We are thrilled to embrace a new model that values growth, collaboration, and innovation, and we eagerly anticipate continuing to make a positive impact on our community.
Our strategy centers on forging strategic partnerships with local agencies that have a solid reputation and value within the community. This approach enables us to leverage the resources of the University to support these agencies and amplify their positive impact. Additionally, we have narrowed the scope of our programs to focus on all stages of the K-12 educational pipeline. We prioritize programs that are sequential and equip students in the community with the tools and skills they need to be prepared for college.
Abriendo Puertas provides iPad-based tutoring in Mathematics and Literacy for Pre-K to 2nd-grade students in San Jose's Greater Washington Neighborhood. Led by Dr. Pedro Hernandez-Ramos, the program equips children with iPads loaded with educational apps and workbooks to support their learning. During the sessions, parents attend workshops on various community-driven topics. SCU students play dual roles, serving as tutors for the children and mentors for high school students from the Latino College Preparatory Academy (LCPA).
Caminos Al Bienestar is a "train-the-trainer" initiative designed to equip Promotoras and Community Members with culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health strategies. Facilitated by SCU graduate students under the leadership of Dr. Jasmin Llamas, the program develops "community wellness modules" tailored to local needs. Based at Sacred Heart Community Service, the initiative empowers Promotoras to disseminate mental health information and practical skills. SCU students contribute as researchers, collaborating with Dr. Llamas and the community to ensure materials remain accurate and relevant.
The Frugal Innovation Hub aims to engage students and faculty in impactful technological and humanitarian projects through strategic partnerships. Thriving Neighbors collaborates year-round with teams of SCU engineering graduate students to develop applications that enhance programming capabilities, including the iPad Program, a College Readiness roadmap, and Better Together.
Thriving Neighbors proudly sponsors SCU’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE++), a free nine-week program that introduces middle and high school girls to coding using Scratch and Python. This program fosters coding skills, creativity, and an interest in STEM careers. SCU students, who also serve as female role models in STEM fields, volunteer to mentor and inspire the next generation of coders. Thriving Neighbors actively supports this initiative by recruiting participants from the community to maximize its impact.
The Summer Engineering Seminar is a five-day program for high school sophomores and juniors passionate about engineering. Combining workshops, lectures, and hands-on activities led by SCU engineering faculty, the program offers participants a glimpse into university life and the opportunity to engage with faculty and peers. It provides valuable insights into academic expectations and career possibilities in engineering.
Sus Historias Cuentan is a book series co-created by Thriving Neighbors faculty partner Dr. Pedro Hernandez-Ramos. The series features autobiographical accounts of seven remarkable Community Leaders who have been integral to Thriving Neighbors for over a decade. These stories highlight their inspiring journeys, leadership, and enduring contributions to the program and their community.
Stakeholders
With support from our donors and under the guidance of our advisory board, Thriving Neighbors engages SCU students and faculty in partnerships with Greater Washington community members, leaders, and organizations, to promote mutual learning, critical dialogue, and sustainable program development innovation.
- Strategic Visioning & Planning
- Partnership Development
- Relationship Management
- Operations
- Program Evaluation
- Marketing
- Community-engaged Learning
- Tutoring & Mentorship Training
- Ignatian-centered Social Justice Engagement
- Research-driven Approaches to Community Support
- Train & Support Next Generation of practitioners & Community-engaged Research
- Provide Curriculum Development
- Educational Support
- Academic Trajectory Guidance
- Mentorship Navigated Growth
- CommunityLeadership Development Training
- Family & Education Coaching
- Operational Facilitation of Programming
- Shared Strategic Vision & Goal Outcomes
- Expertise in Education & Community Engagement
- Program Implementation & Evaluation Support
- Promotion of Social Development
- Community Advocacy
- Facilitate Supplemental Networking
- Assist in Raising Funds
- Provide Financial Support to Develop & Expand Programs
Making an Impact
“Thriving Neighbors has been a part of the reason that my goal of going to college is becoming a reality. Although SCU doesn’t offer the major or a program to help my goal of becoming a Physical Therapist, I thank them for helping me grow as a student as well as a person.”
- Jose, HS Mentoring Program, 2023
Universities serve as a hub for research and education, but their potential extends far beyond campus. When institutions commit to community engagement, they become key players in addressing social disparities, including those related to mental health. Through outreach initiatives, universities can leverage their expertise and resources to promote social impact. By incorporating mental health initiatives into their community engagement efforts, Santa Clara University is doing just that, fulfilling a dual purpose: contributing to public wellbeing and preparing students for real-world challenges.
Read about this shared journey of wellnessGet Involved
Thriving Neighbors offers community engaged learning opportunities through through fellowship positions. These experience-broadening positions challenge SCU students to strengthen their leadership abilities, engage in vocational discernment, deepen their understanding of social justice issues, and provide financial funding support.
Your support ensures that we can continue to develop partnerships in the community, support programming, and provide compensation for our SCU student fellows. Your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. SCU's Tax ID is 94-1156617.
Donate by selecting Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education > ICJE Thriving Neighbors Initiative
Our programs connect Santa Clara University faculty, staff, and students with Greater Washington residents, community leaders, and organizations to build local capacity for expanded educational choice, transformational relationships through collaborative engagement, participatory action-research-based scholarship, and more. Whether you are looking to volunteer or build a partnership, we would love to get you connected to Thriving Neighbors.
The Ignatian Center’s Thriving Neighbors Program invites proposals for faculty/student/community partners program development and research grants for projects that demonstrate a lived example of Ignatian Solidarity and Leadership within the context of collaborative work in the Washington Neighborhood of San Jose.
If you are interested in more information, please contact us.