In 2022, the higher education community celebrated several milestone anniversaries: fifty years since the establishment of Pell grants and Title IX, and ten years since the creation of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). In the Jesuit network, another milestone was celebrated this fall: the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ).
Over the summer, we invited our schools to share institutional reflections on what these milestone anniversaries mean to their campuses for this issue of Connections. We know that you will be as moved as we were to read how DACA and Pell grants have helped students attend Georgetown University, Loyola University Chicago, and the University of San Francisco; how Title IX paved the way for student-athletes to excel at Creighton University and Santa Clara University; and how IFTJ inspired students at Saint Peter’s University to work for justice beyond campus.
You will learn more about the history and current status of Pell grants, Title IX, and DACA in this month’s Government Relations report. Should you have any specific questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Vice President of Government Relations, Jenny Smulson: jsmulson@ajcunet.edu.
On behalf of my colleagues at AJCU, we hope that you enjoy this issue and that the end of this Fall semester goes smoothly (and quickly!).
By Deanna Howes Spiro, Vice President of Communications, AJCU