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Program Give Students Opportunity for Summer Travel, Service
While many students anticipated the arrival of summer as a time to unwind, 48 SJU students were instead anticipating their departure on service trips to Ecuador, Guatemala and New Mexico. The students, selected from a pool of over 100 applicants to this year’s Summer Immersion Programs, attended a Commissioning Mass on the eve of their journeys, which are taking place from May 15th through May 24th. Students traveling to Ecuador are staying in the town of Durán, where they are working with volunteers from Rostro de Cristo, an organization founded in 1988 by the Archdiocese of Boston. Jason Bartlett, program outreach coordinator for campus ministry, explains that the SJU Immersion Program in Ecuador works to empower local communities to make decisions and changes for themselves. “Throughout their stay in Ecuador, the students participate in after-school programs with local children, visit the elderly and even visit a community suffering from Hansen’s Disease,” said Bartlett. Those traveling to Guatemala are likely finding their stay much more labor-intensive. “Some days they’ll be painting classrooms; other days they may be pouring concrete,” said Bartlett, who is also serving as a facilitator for the trip. In Guatemala, students are finding a unique learning experience in the opportunity to observe the aftermath of the nation’s civil war in the 1980’s. “The students are staying in the town of Tecpán,” said Bartlett. “There, they’ll witness the blurred boundaries between the native indigenous groups of the region as well as the recent influx of city expats, who have returned to the town after the war.” In New Mexico, students are staying in the town of Tohatchi, home to the Diné, a Native American tribe which is part of the Navajo Nation. Saint Mary’s Mission, which has partnered with Saint Joseph’s, is working to immerse the students in the Diné culture, spirituality and way of life. Despite the economic challenges currently faced by the Navajo Nation, the focus of the trip will not be rooted solely in issues of poverty. “The students will meet the residents of the Navajo Reservation, hear their stories and learn from their culture,” explained Beth Ford, SJU Campus Minister and a trip facilitator. “In New Mexico, students will have the opportunity to see what it’s like to live in a nation within a nation, and they’ll see the reality of life on a Native American reservation — not only the social conditions, but also the native spiritual practices of our country,” added Bartlett. Although each trip will take the students on a unique spiritual experience, they all share the goal of promoting the Ignatian ideals that founded the University. “On this trip, students will get to reflect on their own spiritual journey,” said Ford. “They will see firsthand how they are called to respond with a faith that does justice.”

2012 Undergraduate Commencement
I think the undergraduate graduation ceremony is my favorite event all year. For the full set of photos, please visit our photo archive.

2012 Graduate Commencement
Congratulations to all the 2012 graduates! To see the full commencement gallery, please visit our photo archive.

AFROTC Celebrates New Lieutenants, 60 Years on Campus
PHILADELPHIA (May 17, 2012) – On Saturday, May 19, five seniors of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 750 will commission as Second Lieutenants in the United States Air Force. The ceremony, to be held in the Chapel of St. Joseph – Michael J. Smith, S.J., Memorial on Saint Joseph’s University campus, will be followed by a celebration of the detachment’s 60th anniversary. Established at what was then Saint Joseph’s College in 1951, Det. 750 is comprised of cadets from 23 area colleges and universities and is headquartered at SJU. This year, five will commission at the May 19 ceremony and an additional three will commission at a separate ceremony in June. The May 19 graduates include: Jaclyn Bergstein, Temple University; Courtney Gallagher, Temple University; Steven Palmer, Villanova University; Adam Staricha, Temple University; and Nicholas Worby, Saint Joseph’s University. Commissioning in June are Matthew Fritz, Rowan University; and Holden Nardini and Thomas Nguyen, both of Drexel University. During the ceremony, each cadet will recite the Oath of Office and receive Second Lieutenant rank, signifying their transition from cadet to military officer. For the first time, a cadet will be commissioned over a Skype phone call: Jaclyn Bergstein will be remotely commissioned by her sister, Second Lieutenant Sarah Bergstein, from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. This year’s commissioning speaker will be Lieutenant General David S. Fadok, commander and president of Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. Lt. Gen. Fadok flew combat and combat support missions in operations Just Cause, Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Southern Watch; was the 1988 recipient of the Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award, and is a command pilot with over 4,000 hours. A distinguished academic, he holds advanced degrees from Oxford University and the School of Advanced Airpower Studies. Prior to his current position at Air University, Lt. Gen. Fadok served as commander of the Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education and as vice commander of Air University. “These new Air Force officers represent the best our nation has to offer,” stated Lt. Col. Eric Turnbull, Detachment 750 Commander. “They’ve trained hard for the past four years and are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities that await them.” Several Det 750 alumni are expected to attend the 60th anniversary reception directly following the commissioning ceremony, to be held in Campion Student Center’s banquet hall. A display of the detachment’s history will be showcased during the reception. -30-

We were so inspired by your photos that we made a collage. We couldn't pick just one! Congrats once again to the Class of 2012.


Cover Photos