Thriving Neighbors Fellowship
The Thriving Neighbors (TN) Community Fellowship is a paraprofessional community-based learning experience, which allows undergraduate students to obtain professional work experience while pursuing defined learning goals and objectives. Social justice-oriented engagement with the community to enhance vocational discernment is the cornerstone of the program. The year-long opportunity offers an in-depth exploration of community partners and services which will be hosted at community partner agencies within the Greater Washington Neighborhood, home to the Thriving Neighbors. TN is an initiative promoting engaged scholarship, teaching, and sustainable development facilitated by SCU’s Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education. The initial focus of the TN is on the five, predominantly Latino neighborhoods that make up the Greater Washington community in San Jose.
The program provides undergraduate students with a rich and deep experience in the local community. Fellows are matched with a community partner for a full academic year, spending an average of eight to ten hours per week in the community. The fellowship is designed to meet the needs of community partners but also to help fellows delve into individual passions and areas of interest.
- Must be a current sophomore or junior in good academic standing (2.5 GPA or better)
- Must have previous experience working/learning with the community, preferably through the Ignatian Center
- Must be able to commit six to 10 hours per week for a full academic year (includes travel time to/from site)
Community Engagement
- Engage in the community for six to ten hours per week throughout the academic year (September to June) at host agency site
- Identify host organization opportunities that align with Thriving Neighbors goals
- In conversation with your host organization, propose and produce a final project to be presented at year-end celebration
- Serve as liaison between the Ignatian Center and the host organization
Student Leadership
- Co-facilitate quarterly orientations and lead student reflections for Arrupe Engagement
- Serve as a resource and mentor for SCU students who participate at the host organization in Arrupe Engagement
- Participate in bi-weekly fellowship meetings and quarterly site supervisor meetings
- Attend two student leader retreats (fall and spring)
- Assist with Ignatian Center events, as appropriate
Interns receive a modest stipend.
2021-22 Thriving Neighbors Fellows
Naranjo '23
Civil Engineering Major
Calata-Gentil '24
Mechanical Engineering Major
Chavez-Magana '24
Psychology & Child Studies Major
Chimalpopoca '23
Accounting Major
Ifediba '22
Finance Major
Medina '23
Communication & Spanish Studies Major
Santos '24
Ethnic Studies Major
Takagi '22
Communication Major
Past Fellows
Hayley Arima '21 | Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential | Parent Mentor
Beatriz Camacho '21 | Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential | Abriendo Puertas/Semilla Fellow
Elizabeth Chimalpopoca '23 | Accounting & Political Science | High School Mentor
Angie Cuellar '21 | Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential | Parent Mentor
Maria Fernanda Gutierrez Orozco '22 | Psychology | High School Mentor
Stephanie Gil '21 | Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential | Parent Mentor
Randi Hathaway '21 | Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential | Abriendo Puertas/Semilla Fellow
Emmanuel Ifeanyi Ifediba '22 | Finance | High School Mentor
Kristabel Mamaril '21 | Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential | Abriendo Puertas/Semilla Fellow
Lola Martin Uribe '22 | Civil Engineering | High School Mentor
Silvia Martinez '21 | Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential | Parent Mentor
Nathalie Medina '23 | Biology | Abriendo Puertas Fellow
Omar Medina '23 | Communications & Spanish | Abriendo Puertas Fellow
Olivia Paolinetti '21 | Master of Arts in Teaching and Teaching Credential | Parent Mentor
Elizabeth Reynoso Gutierrez '22 | Biology & History | High School Mentors
Gloria Sevilla '20 | Spanish | STEM Fellow
Logan Burns '23 | Bioengineering | STEM Fellow
Melany Cortes Mederos '22 | Communications & Political Science | MOBI Fellow
Maria Esquivel '22 | Bioengineering | STEM Fellow
Jasmine Jiménez '21 | Spanish & Psychology | Resiliant Family Education Fellow
Abby Nairn '21 | Classics | Visual & Performing Arts Fellow
Maria Nelson '20 | Psychology | MOBI Fellow
Gisela Romero '21 | Marketing & Communications | MOBI Fellow
Gloria Sevilla '21 | Spanish | Visual & Performing Arts Fellow
Samantha Bailey '20 | Psychology, Child Studies | Santa Maria Urban Ministry
Violet Daane '19 | Psychology | CORAL at Washington Elementary
Areli Hernandez '19 | Political Science, Spanish, Ethnic Studies | Sacred Heart Community Service
Catherine Nguyen '20 | Finance | CET Sobrato Vocational Training Center
Jon Tuttle '21 | Political Science, Spanish | Sacred Heart Community Service
Katie Reohr '18 | Sacred Heart Community Service
Makinzi Myers '18 | Estrella Family Services
Maria Muñoz-Yepez '19 | Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School