Event Aims To 'Open Doors, Open Hearts' Between Community and Campus

The University of Scranton joined Jesuit communities worldwide on Thursday, Oct. 22, in celebration of the national Day of Hospitality, which reflects on welcome, accompaniment and solidarity with immigrants and refugees.

"Hospitality Day - Open Doors, Open Hearts," provided an opportunity for conversation between the University community and local community. Students, staff and faculty gathered in the Multicultural Center lounge area of the DeNaples Center to hear from community leaders representing United Neighborhood Centers, The Welcoming Center, Community Justice Project, and Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton.

"This is a celebration and observance that is done around the world by our Jesuit communities, offering a day of hospitality where we can sit, reflect, and think about ways we can be in solidarity and accompaniment with those who are in the margins," said Jose Sanchez, University of Scranton Cultural Center assistant director.

"As a student, you live on campus, but your surrounding community is our Scranton community. It's important for you to know our neighbors, and more importantly, the local organizations that support the populations within our community." 

At the event, Shetierra Edwards, shown, bilingual outreach paralegal with the Community Justice Project offered a call to action for those in attendance: "Always stay involved in your community. Make sure that you work hard to get to know one another and treat everyone respectfully."

In her role, Edwards provides direction regarding visas for victims of crime and trafficking, as well as guidance on citizenship, green card renewals and deferred action for childhood arrival renewals.

Members of the University community took part in a question-and-answer session with the presenters. 

The event was co-sponsored by the Office of Community Relations, the Multicultural Center and the Jesuit Center.

“This was a wonderful occasion to celebrate the work of our colleagues in immigrant- and refugee-serving organizations and to bring attention to the harsh realities facing these communities," said Julie Schumacher Cohen, assistant vice president for community engagement and government affairs at the University.

"The event grew out of longstanding University-community partnerships to accompany our neighbors on the migration journey, which is also a longstanding Scranton story.” 

University of Scranton students sampled an assortment of cultural flavors while participating in a question-and-answer session with community leaders. Shown at right, clockwise from left, are first-year students: Chase Marsala, a psychology major, Laurelee Ayala, a neuroscience major, Aidan Lalley, an environmental science major, Max Pineda, an engineering major, and Joshua Sanchez, a finance major.