The MICAH Summer Fellowship allows current SMC and USD students the opportunity to cultivate personal and social responsibility through intentionally joining communities that are working to create positive social change.
BEING PRESENT AND ABLE TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE POSITIVE CHANGE REQUIRES THAT FELLOWS ARE ABLE TO ENGAGE SOCIAL DYNAMICS
BOTH INTELLECTUALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.
IT IS OUR HOPE THAT FELLOWS WILL BE ABLE TO USE THIS IMMERSION EXPERIENCE TO TAKE UP A PRACTICE THAT WILL BUILD THEIR CAPACITY FOR CRITICAL THINKING, CULTURAL PROFICIENCY, EQUANIMITY, EMPATHY AND COMPASSION.
Over the past ten years the University of San Diego and Saint Mary’s College of California have both been independently developing and practicing immersion based models of community engagement. Rooted in traditional Service-Learning pedagogy our service-immersion trips drew from the best practices in our field. As our centers and our programs matured, we deliberately chose to shift away from being transactional and service based to being more relational and immersion based.
As we shifted our intentions we began to see that “immersion” offered our students the opportunity to step outside of their comfort zones and step into a space that we co-create with community. Within this co-created space lies the potential for personal transformation, a path toward genuine solidarity, and generative energy compelling us to continually seek positive change. With the generous support of Tom & Karen Mulvaney we are excited to challenge our centers and our students to lean into “immersion as a practice,” thus expanding our ability to authentically join community and our capacity to create positive social change.
WHAT WE DO
Students’ engagement will be varied based on their respective community partner organization. Some will work directly with individuals who are marginally housed to help provide access to basic needs such as food, shelter, jobs, and healthcare. Others will work directly with staff and citizens to plan programs or implement campaigns to end homelessness, provide support for asylum seekers and migrant workers, advocate for access to health care, neighborhood safety, employment, or education.
An 8-week summer fellowship program will provide a unique opportunity for students from SMC and USD with a common mission to share an intentional living, learning, and serving experience designed to foster growth in leadership, academics, and spirituality.
The shared experience will allow participating students the opportunity to create a fellowship of practitioners committed to examining the complexities of themselves as individuals, their communities, and their world.
HOW WE DO IT
IN THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR , 6 SMC AND 6 USD STUDENTS (12 TOTAL) WILL BE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MICAH SUMMER FELLOWSHIP.
6 MICAH FELLOWS WILL LIVE IN COMMUNITY TOGETHER WHILE WORKING WITH JUSTICE ORIENTED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN OAKLAND AND THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA.
6 MICAH FELLOWS WILL LIVE IN COMMUNITY TOGETHER WHILE WORKING WITH JUSTICE ORIENTED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE SAN DIEGO/TIJUANA AREA
Fellowship Award
Each student will receive a $4,500 Fellowship Award upon completing the program. Food, housing and transportation needs will also be provided.