Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, Calif.– Jan. 3, 2007. Santa Clara University’s 125-year-old Alumni Association embarked on its first immersion trip this winter—and in doing so, the group was the first Jesuit alumni association to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In January, 34 alumni representing classes 1958 through 2006 spent five days in New Orleans cleaning up, tearing down, and doing whatever else needed to be done to help rebuild the city.

“It’s amazing to see the energy of the alumni, spanning generations and coming from different parts of the country to participate in our first immersion trip. Older folks learn from younger folks, and younger folks learn from older folks,” said Mary Smoker, assistant director of the Alumni Association’s community service and spiritual programs.

SCU alumni were not the only ones giving up precious vacation time to lend a helping hand in the Big Easy this holiday season. Fourteen undergraduate students spent part of their winter break helping with the cleanup efforts, as well. SCU student groups have been participating in immersion trips to New Orleans since last January.

Watch alumni at work: www.youtube.com/scuafo

Read their blog: www.scu.edu/alumni

About Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its 8,377 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, plus master’s and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, California’s oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.

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