Greetings from Mission and Ministry!

In the past two weeks, our campus community has come to life, following that near-miraculous cycle of renewal and new beginnings that happen each academic year. In Mission and Ministry, we are taking special inspiration as we begin from an address recently given by Fr. General Arturo Sosa, S.J, the global head of the Jesuit order, to a meeting of the International Association of Jesuit Universities in Bogota, Colombia, in June. Over the course of our coming newsletters, I will be sharing some of his key points and how they shape our work here at Santa Clara.

Fr. General’s speech was organized around three C’s (in his native Spanish) – charism (who we are), context, and camino (our way forward). In particular, he emphasized how important it is for us to begin our reflections in who we are. Rather than be driven and defined by the world around us, with all its turbulence and uncertainty, he pointed to the firm foundation we find in who we are: most notably, as a community drawn together by God in a unique way for a unique purpose.

At Santa Clara, this means that we as a community embrace a set of foundational values rooted in our Jesuit identity: discernment and reflection, being people for and with other, seeking God in all things, living faith that does justice, practicing care for the whole person, and caring for our common home. President Sullivan recently made these values the centerpiece of her Convocation Address, in which she reminded us of the “responsibility we have as members of this University community to be the stewards and innovators of the Jesuit tradition.” These commitments give us a shared vision, and we continually interpret them afresh and give new life to them as new members join our community and bring their unique perspectives.This year, new banners are being placed around campus to proclaim and celebrate the way we live out these Jesuit values and to encourage us to engage them more deeply.

In this issue of our newsletter, we highlight some ways our community is living out the values that have drawn us together at this moment in time – in quiet moments of retreat, in engaging interfaith dialogue, and in collaborating with social entrepreneurs across our Jesuit network to bring fair trade coffee to our campus.

Hope, Connection, and Courage | Reflections from the Interfaith America Summit

Hope, connection, and courage; three simple words that participating SCU students carried home from the Interfaith America’s 2025 Leadership Summit in Chicago. The Summit is an annual event organized by Interfaith America for college students and educators to learn more about religious pluralism and civic unity.

Participants took part in a variety of events, such as interactive workshops, keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and panel discussions. This summer, four Santa Clara students joined 700 attendees (largest summit known to date) from around the world to reflect on diverse religions and worldviews, spark friendships, and inspire change on campus and beyond.

Read their reflections here.

Capeltic Coffee AND SCU

The Ignatian Center's Immersion trips allow students to walk alongside people, learn about their experiences, and understand their challenges. One such Immersion to Chiapas, Mexico introduced students to Capeltic, a coffee cooperative in Chilón. Capeltic, which means "our coffee" in the Mayan language Tseltal, reflects the strong ties indigenous farmers have to their land, their culture, and the beans that they grow. Capeltic's mission is to make sure farmers profit at every stage of the coffee-making process.

Students returning from the immersion saw an opportunity to make a difference for the farmers in Chilón. Since Capeltic had already opened coffee shops in Jesuit universities throughout Mexico, students began to ask: why not Santa Clara? The students worked with staff at the Ignatian Center to make Capeltic an official coffee vendor on campus, and after nearly two years, it is happening! 

Read the story here

This Retreat is Not for You

"This retreat is not for you." Not the most welcoming greeting to come from the the Director of Ignatian Spirituality, Tony Cortese. He goes on to explain that the retreat "is for our students, your families your friends, and the communities with whom you are in solidarity."

This year, the Ignatian Center hosted retreats for nearly 100 faculty and staff because we believe their spiritual renewal directly enriches our students and the communities they serve. The very purpose of a Jesuit education feels adrift without this grounding in spirituality. Each retreat the Ignatian Center offers for faculty and staff is designed to be spiritually and religiously inclusive. There is a beautiful diversity of religious and spiritual backgrounds at SCU, and we are committed to honoring and celebrating this diversity as best we can.

Read Tony's story here. 

JUNE 14-26 | The Ignatian Center's Immersion team lead 9 students on the  Chile Immersion to learn about human rights and cultural memory.

JUNE 14-22 | The Ignatian Center's Immersion team lead 11 students on the Costa Rica Immersion to encounter community organizing for social transformation.

JULY 10-25 | Mission and Ministry participated in five orientation sessions, welcoming new students and families to the University and introducing them to our Jesuit Catholic Mission. 

JULY 13 | The Ignatian Center accompanied 10 students as they began their year-long fellowship with AMDG, a program dedicated to revitalizing faith and service among youth and young adults.

JULY 22 | Alpha Sigma Nu, the national Jesuit honor society, presented the Santa Clara University chapter with a "Chapter of the Year" award! 

JULY 31 | Mission and Ministry hosted St. Ignatius Feast Day  with a special mass and reception for SCU faculty, staff, and students.

AUG 8-10 | Campus Ministry accompanied a group of 5 students to the Interfaith America’s 2025 Leadership Summit in Chicago.

AUG 21-SEPT 3 | The Ignatian Center's Immersion team lead a total of 7 students on the 13-day Ghana Immersion to explore black heritage.

AUG 30-SEPT 6 | The Ignatian Center's Immersion team lead a group of 11 students on the 7-day New York City Immersion to learn about transforming lives beyond prison walls.

AUG 30-SEPT 4 | The Ignatian Center lead a group of 11 Faculty and Staff Members on the Faculty & Staff Immersion to the US-Mexico border to explore migration through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching and commit to meaningful action.

SEPT 14-18 | The Ignatian Center's Immersion team lead 8 incoming students on the First Year Immersion to San Jose and San Francisco, connecting them with their new local community and a chance to get to know their fellow Broncos before the school year begins.

SEPT 22-26 | Through the Ignatian Center's Arrupe Engagement, over 460 students registered to work with local community organizations, committing to community engagement for the Fall quarter.  

OCT 8 | The Ignatian Center is launching a 5-week reading Group entitled “Paths to embody our shared Mission; A Journey into the Foundations and Development of Jesuit Global Collaboration.”

OCT 9 | The Ignatian Center is launching a 4-week Ignatian 101 Course for Faculty and Staff, designed to introduce faculty and staff to the distinctive dimensions of SCU's Jesuit Catholic mission and character.

Oct 27-31 | Mission and Ministry will be hosting the 4th annual Jesuit Heritage Week (formerly known as Mission Week), providing a variety of engagement opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to embrace our Jesuit heritage. 

Oct 29 | Mission and Ministry will host the New Faculty & Staff Dinner, welcoming in all SCU new hires and providing them with the opportunity to hear about our Jesuit values and meet other new colleagues. 

NOV 12 |  The Ignatian Center will be hosting the popular Search for What Matters, featuring Erin Kimura-Walsh, Director of SCU's Lead Scholars Program.

DEC 12-22 | The Ignatian Center's Immersion team will be leading students on Winter Break Immersions to Costa Rica, Los Angeles, and Peru.