Introduction

“I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong.” - George Washington

At the time the 2017 Common Reading Program was chosen we did not know the topic of immigration would come to the forefront of our 2016 presidential election and that after the election it would be a primary battle in our county and world. Avila was blessed to focus on the topic of immigration in our First Year Experience Program. We were blessed as it is a topic of precedence and were able to allow time and energy to dedicate to this topic in an open and educational environment. The goal was to humanize immigration and discover pathways for working though immigration issues in a peaceful and nonviolent manner. It is our hope that students might be change agents in the world which is the mission of Avila University. Each year, Avila selects a common reading for our first year students. Students have the summer to read the selected book and respond with an essay prior to the start of fall class. Additionally, the University dedicates the Harry S. Truman Distinguished Lecture to the selected book. To compliment these experiences, all first year students enroll in a fall semester class, First Year Seminar, which provides an opportunity to further expand on the global topics within the book. This publication serves as the culmination of these experiences shared among our first year students (Appendix A).

The book selected for 2017 was The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande. This memoir outlines the hardships and the heartaches of Grande’s immigration story from child to adult. Grande was two years old when her father left Mexico and crossed the border into the United States, hoping to earn enough money to build a home in Mexico when he returned. Eight years passed before her father returned to take Rayna and her siblings across the border. Once in the United States Grande sorts through many challenges as she navigates into adulthood.

Avila welcomed Reyna Grande to campus on October 18, 2017 as our Harry S. Truman Distinguished Lecturer (Appendix B). She spoke to an audience of nearly 500 and shared the importance of learning about others’ journeys in order to create community and overcome the distance between us. Noting that although each immigration journey is unique, the immigration story behind the journey is the same: to find a better life and to survive. With photos of her childhood and adulthood as well as artwork and images related to immigration running on the screen behind Grande as she spoke, she made a connection between writing and healing and shared that her writing has allowed her to move forward. She explained that although we cannot change the past, we have control over the future. She shared that her legacy is to change hearts and minds one reader at a time and asked the audience, “What is your legacy?”

The University also hosted an outstanding panel prior to the lecture comprised of Kathleen E. Irish, JD, Attorney at Law; Dr. Sofia Kahn, physician and advocate for KC for Refugees; Maura Orpin, Executive Director of Don Bosco Centers and Miguel Salazar, Chair of the Catholic Immigration and Refugee Task Force. Each panelist shared personal experiences associated with their involvement serving immigrants and refugees. Panelists described the convoluted process of immigration. Dr. Kahn shared that “it is thirty times more difficult to immigrate than to gain acceptance into Harvard University.” The panelists showed passion when compelling the audience to not forget that immigrants are human beings and these humans are in trouble. They urged the audience to be accountable for one another and to help those suffering.

With the Culminating Project in first year seminar, students can write a traditional essay or create a unique personal project such as the creation of a poem, song, piece of artwork, etc. The project helped students explore the complex issues surrounding immigrants, migrants and refugees. Students were also asked to explore their role and responsibility in resolving immigration issues through a peaceful and nonviolent means. This publication is a compilation of several projects submitted and an opportunity for first year student to do what Grande asked us to do… to link immigration to individual people; to humanize this subject matter that is at the forefront of nations all over our world.

Paige Illum, Ph.D., CSJA

Director of Student Engagement and Success Adjunct Faculty Avila University

Avila Community Values

e Excellence in teaching and learning e The worth, dignity, and potential of each human being e Diversity and its expression e The development of the whole person e Right relationships, with God, self, others, and creation e Service with the dear neighbor