Students Serve Others on Immersion Trips

By Summer Meza

Spring break presented a number of options for how students could spend a week of free time. While there was plenty of fun to be had at beaches and relaxing at home, some Santa Clara students opted to spend their break serving other communities through the immersion trips offered through several different Santa Clara departments. 

The immersion trips are opportunities to travel to a different region and completely delve into the experience of service work and self-reflection. 

Immersions sent students to many different communities, ranging from Nicaragua to New Orleans. These trips were the epitome of the Jesuit vision of developing students as well-rounded, global citizens. 

Students who partook learned about a place they had never been to before, as well as a lot about themselves. Students tutored children, worked in kitchens to feed the homeless, and developed sustainable projects, amongst many other duties they took on throughout the week. Nightly reflection allowed for self-growth and aimed to help every person gain the most they could from their experience.

The immersion trips were competitive to apply for, due to the appeal of spending a week making an impact on people in need, as well as for a change in pace from activities like laying out in the sun.

Working firsthand with communities in need gives students perspective and gives them the chance to truly make a difference.