May 07, 2012
Scholars in Global Solidarity program Aims
to Solve Global Issues Affecting the Poor Overseas
In
order to better help solve pressing global issues affecting the
poor overseas, Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., president of St. John’s University, and Joan
Rosenhauer, executive vice president of U.S. Operations for
Catholic Relief Charities (CRS), recently signed a Memorandum of
Understanding to work together on a new collaborative venture known
as the “Scholars in Global
Solidarity” program, which caps several years of collaborative
work. The signing took place on Friday, April 13, at St.
John’s Queens campus.
The Scholars in Global Solidarity program fosters the exchange of
expertise between faculty working in Catholic higher education and
technical experts leading CRS’ overseas humanitarian work.
The signing took place before university administrators, faculty,
and alumni in the graduate program in Global Development and Social
Justice.
Afterward, Ms. Rosenhauer met with a group of
undergraduate students who are active in social justice programs at
St. John’s.
CRS is
the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic
community in the United States. Under the direction of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the agency provides
assistance to people in need in nearly 100 countries.
“The
agreement, signed today is the first step in a partnership that
will build on the strengths of both institutions to develop faculty
leadership in solving pressing global issues affecting the poor
overseas,” said Ms. Rosenhauer. “By linking our talents we
become a stronger force with even greater foresight in fighting
poverty and injustice.”
St.
John’s is the third Catholic university to team with CRS in this
venture. The University of San Francisco (Jesuit) and Dayton
University (Marianist) are also participants.
“This program
relates the broad range of expertise and experience available in
our two institutions. By uniting the academic sector with
the service-provider world, mutual benefits will occur so that
service to those in need will be enriched which is our shared
purpose,” said Sr. Margaret John Kelly, D.C., executive director of
the Vincentian Center for Church and Society at St. John’s.
“CRS and St. John’s share a common goal with the other Catholic
universities: to advance the Catholic values of global solidarity,
peace and social justice through scholarship, formation, service
and research.”
Faculty members
trained through this program will ultimately develop and implement
with students and colleagues sustainable outcomes in order to
advance the principles and experience CRS uncovers through its
transformational, justice-centered work with vulnerable communities
around the world. And, the project brings together the long
history of CRS expert responses to victims of war, natural
disasters, and poverty with the academic resources of the
universities.
Ultimately, it is
hoped that the reach of Scholars in Global Solidarity will extend
to Catholic colleges and universities across the US, and that
global solidarity will be a major priority that impacts communities
and the lives of the poor overseas.
For more
information regarding Catholic Relief Services contact Susan
Walters, Communications Officer for U.S. Operations at susan.walters@crs.org.
Media interested
in information about St. John’s partnering with Catholic Relief
Services can contact Dominic Scianna, Assistant Vice President for
Media Relations at St. John’s by calling 718.990.6185 or e-mail
inquiries to sciannad@stjohns.edu.