Relationship between SCU and UCA

A memorial mass was held at the SCU campus after the massacre

Santa Clara has been able to foster a connection to the Jesuit schools that are in the US, but also has been able to foster relationships with Jesuits all over the world. That could be seen with immersion trips, study abroad, and other similar global experiences that can really grow relationships. SCU has been able to spend hundreds of students to El Salvador for immersion trips, the Casa program for study abroad students has been very popular, and other programs throughout the year that show that connection is strong. There are other Jesuit universities in the US that had memorial services for El Salvador but I couldn't find any specifics on each memorial they may have. SCU and UCA have been able to create this relationship between each other and this further shows that support and community that the Jesuits have world wide.

Another reason for our strong connection is because we had one of the priests who were killed come to campus and give the graduation commencement. The work that the Jesuits were doing in El Salvador to try and get justice for everyone who was being killed, was seen by all Jesuits. SCU after this started to send students to El Salvador to learn about all of the injustices that happened during these riots. Students were able to go visit the University where the massacre happened, they were able to stand in the church where Oscar Romero said his final mass before his assassination, and they were able to speak with families that may have been affected by the events. These connections are so vital in understanding why this memorial may still be here on our campus today.

The University sent a small team of administrators to El Salvador recently for the anniversary of the massacre. This team could create an opportunity for the SCU campus to connect more to this tragedy throughout the campus

SCU has quite a connection to the UCA community because Ignacio Ellacuría was able to come to our campus a few years before his murder to give the commencement speech to our graduates. Ellacuria was also able to receive a supplementary diploma along with the other graduates.