University of Portland Student Awarded for Her Work against Injustices

Emma Martinez, from the University of Portland, was recently recognized by the Association for Community Organization and Social Administration with the prestigious 2017 Outstanding Student Award. This award is given to students who are majoring in social work and are making a difference in their community. Martinez’s contributions have been mainly focused on issues of immigrant rights, racial injustice, and equity concerns in the Portland area and campus community.

Currently her senior year practicum is with Enlace, “a multiple alliance that strives for racial and economic justice.” She also serves as the liaison to the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition, a volunteer-led organization which is creating an urgent responders’ network in support of undocumented immigrants and their families.” Martinez’s is work is reflective of the University of Portland’s commitment to service and an education outside of the classroom.

To read more about Martinez’s work at the University of Portland, click here.

Laudato Si Release: Act

Earlier today, Pope Francis released his long-awaited encyclical letter, Laudato Si.  We at ACCU are sharing resources and best practices to help our campuses pray for commitment to care for creation, learn about the encyclical and our call to stewardship, and act upon our beliefs to work for the common good.

˜ACT˜

ACCU member institutions have acted upon their call to care for creation through a number of sustainability and environmental justice initiatives.

• The Catholic Climate Covenant, with support from the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities, and the Catholic Campus Ministry Association, have produced Sustainability and Catholic Higher Education: A Toolkit for Mission Integration (PDF; 3MB).  Through mission-based initiatives, the Toolkit offers practical suggestions to inspire individuals, families, schools, parishes, and dioceses to follow the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change’s St. Francis Pledge.
• 29 Catholic colleges and universities have taken the St. Francis Pledge, sponsored by the Catholic Climate Covenant, committing to living out the value of care for creation through reflection, action, and advocacy.  These campuses include: Aquinas College (MI), Cabrini College, Chestnut Hill College, College of Saint Benedict, Creighton University, Gonzaga University, John Carroll University, Lewis University, Loyola University Chicago, Marquette University, Mercyhurst University, Mount St. Joseph University, Neumann University, Rosemont College, Saint Anselm College, Saint Francis University, Saint John’s University (MN), Saint Joseph’s College (IN), Saint Mary’s College of California, Saint Michael’s College, Salve Regina University, Seattle University, St. Thomas More College, Stonehill College, University of Notre Dame, University of Portland, Villanova University, Viterbo University, and Xavier University.
• The Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability at Seattle University lives out a core tenet of the university mission.  The Center has undertaken a number of initiatives, including supporting faculty and student research through fellowships.  Dr. Trileigh Tucker, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Seattle University, and one of CEJS’s first Faculty Fellows, developed a teaching resource on environmental justice, compiling syllabi, assessment methods, and foundational documents used frequently in courses on environmental justice.
• Benedictine University in Illinois has received a $46,000 Food Scrap Composting Revitalization and Advancement Program (F-SCRAP) grant from the state to allow for the diversion of food scraps generated in the campus cafeteria and other buildings.
• In spring 2015, Cabrini College held a conference, “Faith, Climate, and Health”, to examine how climate change affects the health of the most vulnerable citizens.
• At the University of Portland, professors Dr. Russell Butkus and Dr. Steven Kolmes, teach a course entitled “Theology in Ecological Perspective”, exploring Catholic and Christian teaching and environmental science.

Read more ways ACCU member campuses have undertaken sustainability initiatives on the ACCU website.  Check back frequently as we will post new updates and ways that ACCU campuses react to the Laudato Si to the blog!

Social Action Summer Institute on Cherishing Creation

CHERISHING CREATION: CALLED TO THE COMMON GOOD

Life, Earth and the Common Good

TRANSLATE FAITH INTO ACTION

Participants leave MOTIVATED, with a CATHOLIC-BASED SENSE of MISSION, KNOWLEDGEABLE, with new TOOLS.

Set aside Thursday for national and local leaders to guide you in skill building at a Diocesan Level:

• Building Capacity
• Advocating for Ecological Concerns
• Integrating Social Media into Your Communications Strategy

and nine more workshops to choose from!

The University of Portland Portland, Oregon   Sunday July 19 – Thursday July 23 Click Here to Register Now!

Sponsored by:

• The Archdiocese of Portland
• Roundtable Association of Catholic Diocesan Social Action Directors
• Catholic Relief Services
• Catholic Campaign for Human Development
• Catholic Charities USA
• JustFaith Ministries

Additional Resources on CCHD Partnership

Want to learn more about how your campus can work with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development? Visit the following resources:

• ACCU campus partnership success stories 
• Learn the benefits of partnerships for your campus or diocese
• PovertyUSA.org: A CCHD Initiative
• Community Blend’s website
• Quad Cities Interfaith’s website