Immersions

As a Catholic institution rooted in the teachings of John Baptist De la Salle, our lives act as an example of lifelong education and social justice.  An immersion trip offers opportunities for greater learning by being experiential-based programs that engage Saint Mary’s College students with the the richness of the Lasallian and Catholic tradition to foster faith and solidarity. All three immersions--Salinas, Montana, and Los Angeles--offer cultural, educational, and spiritually-driven opportunities for students to discover how their own liberation is bound up with other’s liberation (solidarity).   

 

TO WATCH A VIDEO EXPLAINING MORE ABOUT WHAT AN IMMERSION IS...

CLICK HERE

 

 

Specifically, each immersion expands students’ experience with solidarity in the following ways:

  • Culturally: students will increase their awareness, engagement, and humility in the culture of their respective immersion.
  • Educational: participants will examine the various social factors through a variety of perspectives, histories, and realities.
  • Spiritually-driven: participants will explore a culture of spirituality through faith and values conversations with their peers and within the respective immersion communities.

 

Relevant Social Justice issues: applying Catholic Social Teaching and other social justice theories to examine food justice (Salinas), indigenous peoples (Montana), and homeless youth (Los Angeles). 

Here is what previous immersion students have said:

“Service is a way to express the importance of human life. It is never for “saving” someone, but rather meeting someone how they want to be met.”

“I have realized human interaction is solely based on open mindedness and love. It is so human to love…”

“I actually wanted more...”

“Happiest I have been during my time at Saint Mary’s”

“[It was great] talking to people who are exactly like us...but find themselves in different situations with no control over them”