Dear Ignatian Center Friends and Supporters,
Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, was an irrepressible dreamer. Early on, he dreamt of being a knight and gaining fame and riches in the Spanish court; later, he dreamt of serving God, in simplicity and humility and perhaps going to the Holy Land. And later still, he dreamt of drawing together people who, like him, wanted to follow their faith in God to caring for others and the “progress of souls” through reconciliation and justice. Dreams just kept coming up for him, and he had the boldness to follow them – even when this meant being uprooted and moving to new places and jobs.
I’ve thought about Ignatius’ dreams a lot lately, as I’ve recently followed something of a dream to Santa Clara University. In beginning my service as Executive Director of the Ignatian Center, and as Vice President for Mission and Ministry at SCU, I’m reminded of the many times before that God has inspired me with dreams: to be a Jesuit, to serve in Latin America, to pursue doctoral studies in political science, and to be a professor of government at Georgetown University. At each turn, something was moved inside me to dream of something new. And most recently, that has happened with the opportunity to join the SCU community and be part of its marvelous commitment to the Jesuit vision of faith-inspired engagement with the world. Even a year ago, I could not have imagined this possibility, and now I could not be more excited to embrace it.
The Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education draws together people who dream, especially those who dream of justice and transformation, of reconciliation and flourishing, not just for us but for all. Through the intellectual convening power of the Bannan Forum, the community engaged student learning of the Arrupe programs and our lasting partnerships in the Thriving Neighbors program, student and faculty Immersions, and our many offerings for our whole community in Ignatian Spirituality, the ICJE is a hub that reaches out to the entire Santa Clara community. While many Jesuit universities have pieces of these programs, Santa Clara University is unique in the way it explicitly and intentionally draws them together.
In June 2024, a group of students embarked on a transformative experience to Lima, Peru, where they were hosted by the Universidad Antonio Ruiz de Montoya (UARM), one of the most diverse universities in Peru. Students had the unique opportunity to engage with UARM students and faculty, as well as with community organizations and Jesuit social projects. This immersion focused on public health and environmental justice, and offered an in-depth exploration of the persistent inequities in basic health care due to a history of internal migration resulting from violence and environmental crises. One of those students, Matthew Becker '25, shared his reflections of the Immersion experience, one that he claims gave him a borrowed perspective.
Read his Peru Immersion reflections here
