As a Jesuit University, Loyola College is a member of the national Ignatian Solidarity Network. As such, we participate in the mission of facilitating and promoting communication, education, social justice awareness and action among Jesuit member institutions and individuals. Our goal is to better understand what it means to live and act upon “a faith that does justice”. One way of doing this is to sponsor and/or collaborate with others on various activities concerning the closing of the School of the Americas (SOA)/Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC). This involves education and awareness of human rights issues, a planned trip to participate in the vigil to close the school in Georgia along with other Jesuit institutions. 

Student Orientation to Service is a program designed to give first year students the opportunity to participate in a three day community service experience. S.O.S. includes direct service with people who are economically poor and homeless, discussions exploring the impact of poverty on individuals and society, and reflection.  S.O.S. connects incoming students with community service in an urban setting. The program provides an opportunity for participants to increase their understanding of the situations faced by individuals who suffer from economic poverty and homelessness, and exposes them to some of the urban service programs supported by the Center for Community Service and Justice.

Established in 1998, Encounter El Salvador has many unique features that distinguish it from Project Mexico. First of all, the team’s composition is made up of undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, staff and/or administrators and the two co-coordinators. The time in El Salvador does not include direct service, but what we like to call service of presence. The group spends the majority of their time in the capital city of San Salvador, learning about the many issues facing the Salvadoran people as well as the work that is being done by social service agencies and NGO’s, religious and educational institutions, and the government, then spends the weekend in a rural community outside of San Salvador, living with host families, joining them in some of their everyday activities, and learning about the community.

The Good Stuff Campaign provides students with an opportunity to live out Loyola’s mission by donating their clothing, dishes, small appliances, and unopened food to local agencies.  The people who are served by these agencies can benefit tremendously from this!

And, the program is particularly helpful to graduating seniors as they move out of the residence halls immediately after Commencement. Drop off sites for all students are located around campus during Exam Week and Senior Week. Vans and trucks are available near dumpsters on graduation day

Program

• Welcome & MC -Antoine Bennett, New Song Urban Ministries
• Invocation - Pastor Thurman Williams, New Song Community Church
• Special Music - Melissa-Ann McHugh, Loyola College
• Special Remarks - Student Volunteer Representatives, Loyola College
• Presentation of the Bible - Andy Goicochea, Loyola College
• Presentation of the Keys - David Gullotti, Loyola College
• Remarks and Special Presentation -Charles Johnson, Sandtown Habitat Homeowners Association
• Special Presentation - Fr. Jack Dennis, S.J.
• Family Remarks -Omar Owens
• Acknowledgements -Danny Said,  Sandtown Habitat for Humanity
• Closing Song - This Little Light
• Benediction - Fr.Chuck Fredericko,S.J., Loyola College
• Ribbon Cutting - Homeowner Family, Sponsor, Staff and Friends

Spring Celebration 
Baltimore city school children enjoy the Trick or Treating so much that they can't wait to come back in the spring! This after school event is full of Easter crafts, games and candy to provide an afternoon of fun for EBLO, St.Ambrose and Guilford Elementary School students, who range in grade from Kindergarten through third grade.

Celebration of Service
Monday, March 31, 2008
7:00-8:00 p.m.

 Opening: Service Coordinator Procession
Welcome - Sr. Missy Gugerty, SSND
Story I - Alex Vargas
Story II - Andrew Zaleski
 Story III - Tracy Petruzziello
Keynote Speaker - Maggie Hughes
 Story IV - Mike Conti
Agency Guest - Mark Marino ( Project Health)
Story IV - Father Jack Dennis
Closing - Christina Harrison

This year Maryland Day week features series of service events. One of the events is "Taste of Service" - visiting Viva House, a West Baltimore outreach center and meal provider affiliated with the Catholic Worker movement. In this visit, participants were offered a breakfast, a tour and an overview of the services in Viva House.

To learn more about Viva House, which was featured in the HBO's mini series - The Wire, and to hear the interview with Viva House's owners - Brendan & Willa, please click here

Stations of the Cross Program

The
Procession

The Closing
Reflection

Urban Needs Introduced
Through Experience

U.N.I.T.E. is a weekend immersion experience
that  offers you a chance to travel into 
Baltimore with a small group of students and
staff members to take a closer look at
the realities of people
who are poor and homeless
in our city. 

Project Mexico is an international immersion program that takes place in the Tijuana border region for 10 days in early January. During their stay in Mexico, participants involve in community directed construction projects, commonly centered on schools, as well as cultural and social activities and education programs to engage topics such as immigration, the environment, human rights, and political and economic issues.