2018 ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY IMPACT
“Love is shown more in deeds than in words.”
— St. Ignatius of Loyola
The University is a nationally recognized institution of higher learning that has been ranked among the top 10 regional universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report for 24 consecutive years. On record, we have 40,094 Undwergraduate alumni and 11,594 graduate alumni. As a charitable organization, we give back to our students through generous financial aid, we contribute financially to the City of Scranton and Lackawanna County, and we open our doors to the community by providing numerous free events and resources.
This report reviews both the quantitative and qualitative ways in which The University of Scranton makes a positive economic and community impact on the City of Scranton and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Economic impact numbers are based on a study conducted in spring 2018 by the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development; community impact data is based on the 2017-2018 academic year unless otherwise noted.
“Not where I breathe, but where I love, I live.�
— Robert Southwell, S.J.
A MESSAGE from the President I recently moved back to Scranton, a place I called home for many years during my first presidency at The University of Scranton. During my time away, I drew on my experiences in Northeastern Pennsylvania where my neighbors worked together with a shared mission to advance this small corner of the world, and beyond. I felt then, as I do now, that the people of the Greater Scranton area set a wonderful example for our students, who come from near and far, teaching them just how powerful the strength of community can be. As part of its Catholic, Jesuit tradition, The University of Scranton aims to foster a spirit of caring and to help students, faculty and staff members to engage fully in their surroundings through their action and ideas. We continue to be committed to working alongside the residents of the City of Scranton, partnering with area businesses, serving in its hospitals, schools and community organizations, and coming together to analyze issues close to home and on a global scale. This report details the symbiotic relationship between us. Together we can do great things that make positive change for and by our collective community. I look forward to seeing everything we can achieve in the years to come. Sincerely,
Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. President
A Catholic & Jesuit Institution Committed to Service Nativity Miguel School
“We count on the generosity of caring volunteers like the University staff, faculty and students who are always ready to help us. They make our mission of outreach come alive. It is a joy to work with them. Their service and desire to make our community a better place to live gives us hope for the future.”
— Sr. Ann Walsh, IHM, Assistant Director, Friends of the Poor
Volunteer Fair
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Students, faculty and staff of the University are involved in hundreds of community service and volunteer programs that have a positive impact on the region and the City of Scranton. The University is among just 361 colleges in the nation, and one of only 24 colleges in Pennsylvania, to have earned in 2015 the Community Engagement Classification designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Scranton has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll every year since 2007. In 2017-2018, the University’s Jesuit Center undertook a Mission Priority Examen self-study, a process in collaboration with the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) to reaffirm our Catholic and Jesuit identity, including characteristics related to Service and Service to the Local Church. In 2017-2018, more than 3,500 students provided more than 170,000 hours of service, much of it in Northeastern Pennsylvania, including 85 student clubs which are required to complete at least 3 service events per year.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT Since 2014, the University has surveyed its faculty and staff regarding the service activities they engage in, both in professional and personal capacities. In 2017, 84% of staff and 81% of faculty reported being engaged in community volunteer activities. The top reasons for engagement in service were: personal interest (91%), public service (55%), and religious reasons (40%). From 2015-2018, the top activities among faculty and staff included religious organizations, soup kitchens, youth organizations, and parent-teacher organizations/school related activities.
STUDENT SERVICE PROGRAMS The Campus Ministries’ Center for Service and Social Justice works regularly with more than 120 Scranton area non-profit organizations to engage students in addressing community needs through special programs including: spring and fall break service trips; food, clothing, holiday gift and blood drives; mentoring programs; special events for area children; and the Community Christmas Day breakfast for Scranton residents — the 9th annual taking place in December 2017. Program highlights from 2017 include: • LEAP — Literacy, Education, & Advocacy in Prison: University students create a space for creative writing and community one evening each week for women incarcerated at the Lackawanna County Prison. In 2017-2018, 15 students met with 21 incarcerated women. • FIRST — First Years in Reflective Service Together: Incoming first year students participate in five days of service in the Scranton community immediately preceding Fall Welcome. Activities include working with elementary school children, a senior living community, participating in an outdoor beautification project, and hearing from homeless advocates. In 2017-2018, 56 students participated. • Volunteer Fair: Campus Ministries’ Center for Service & Social Justice hosts a Volunteer Fair each September in which over 65 local non-profit agencies are invited to campus to recruit volunteers for their programs in areas such as health and hospice care, children and youth, elderly, social justice, food and housing programs, and poverty and homelessness. In 2017-2018, 640 students participated.
Leahy Community Health & Family Center
The Leahy Center, housed in the Panuska College for Professional Studies, was dedicated in 2003 to provide innovative opportunities for faculty, students, and the community to work together to fill gaps in health, wellness, and educational services to marginalized and underserved populations. In 2017, 1,023 patients were served, 538 prescriptions were dispensed, and 111 immunizations were given. 151 students from the three academic colleges performed 4,118 service hours.
THE EDWARD R. LEAHY JR. CENTER CLINIC FOR THE UNINSURED Since November 2007, the Leahy Clinic has provided free health care services to 6,000 uninsured Lackawanna County residents, amounting to 16,000 patient visits, for individuals who would otherwise forgo health care, or seek care inappropriately in local hospital emergency departments. Non-emergent visits to emergency departments by uninsured patients impose unnecessary costs on both patients, the community and safety-net institutions. Funded by corporate and foundation grants, and private donors the economic impact of providing free care to low-income, uninsured families in Scranton, PA between 2016 and 2017 patients at the Leahy Clinic is approximately $300,000. Medical care is provided by local volunteer physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and University of Scranton students, and more than 33 physicians provide specialty services in their offices. Specialty and Screening Clinics are offered throughout the year in collaboration with Northeast Regional Cancer Institute. On site physical therapy, exercise training and health education, behavioral health, and a low vision services are also provided by Panuska College licensed clinical faculty and students majoring in those fields of health and wellness.
THE ALICE V. LEAHY FOOD PANTRY In 2017, the pantry provides food, personal care items and school supplies, to 400 local families. This student-operated pantry provides non-perishable and fresh produce grown on the campus’ community garden, and promotes healthy eating.
PEACEMAKERS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM Offered each semester for children ages 9 to 13, and led by Counseling Department faculty and students, Peacemakers provides activities designed to promote awareness of dimensions of wellness and peacemaking. In 2017, 40 youth participated, totaling 300 since 2007.
UNIVERSITY OF SUCCESS Founded in 1996 in response to lower graduation rates and stagnant college enrollment rates for young people who are often underrepresented in the higher education, each year this college readiness program admits 22 local public school 8th grade students, with monthly programs for 88 students through high school. University of Scranton Education students provide mentoring and support. In 2018, 19 students graduated, 17 of whom have been accepted into higher education. Currently, 10 Success alumni attend The University of Scranton.
Academic Community Engagement Highlights
COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING In 2017, the Office of the Provost launched a new Office of Community Based Learning (CBL) to further support faculty from the three colleges teaching academic courses that involve students working with individuals, groups or organizations in ways structured to meet community-defined needs. The Office is funded through Strategic Initiatives funding as part of the “Engaged” pillar of the University’s 20152020 Strategic Plan. Led by a faculty coordinator, the Office is supported by a CBL Board comprised of faculty, staff and administrators. In 2017-2018, more than 100 community-based learning classes were conducted. More than 2,400 students engaged in academic community-based learning for a total of more than 33,000 hours. This includes 2,113 students from the Panuska College of Professional Students, which requires 40 service hours for graduation. More than 60 faculty from 16 different academic departments engaged students in these courses in a variety of activities related to their academic study and in collaboration with community partners, including United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Allied Services, St. Joseph’s Center, Neighborworks Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Friends of the Poor, among others.
“I think the University has been a great proactive partner in this community for organizations like ours. I really appreciate how intentional the University is about saying, ‘We want to give back in ways that are truly meaningful.’” — Jesse Ergott, Executive Director, NeighborWorks of NEPA
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Community-Based Learning prepares students to understand common challenges facing humanity, identify systemic problems, and develop a commitment to their communities, especially people who live and work in poverty, illness, inequality, hopelessness, and other social disparities.
— excerpt from CBL definition
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College Community Engagement Highlights
College of Arts & Sciences
Kania School of Management
Panuska College of Professional Studies
THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES Center for Crime Analysis and Prevention of Crime Begun in 2017, the Center for the Analysis and Prevention of Crime — housed in the Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Criminology department — combines faculty expertise, practitioner insight, and student learning to enhance the technological and analytical capabilities of students, police officers, and other criminal justice agencies in the regional community. In 2017-2018, three faculty members and six students participated in the work of the Center and four new academic courses were created to assist in training students to work with faculty on these projects. The Center hosted a day-long seminar for 25 local practitioners and participated in a Washington, D.C. Congressional Briefing with the New America Colleges & Universities to share its efforts. The Center has done work with University Police, Scranton Police Department, Lackawanna County Office of Youth and Family Services, and The Advocacy Alliance.
THE KANIA SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT Women’s Entrepreneurship Center (WEC) The University of Scranton Women’s Entrepreneurship Center (WEC) is a partnership established in 2009 between the Kania School of Management (KSOM) and Small Business Development Center (SBDC). WEC student interns and SBDC staff offer business start-up information, guidance, and encouragement to low-income women, those in transition or those trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. Since its inception: 42 students have completed WEC internships; 225 women have completed the StartUP series; 118 women have attended Coffee & Confidence sessions; and 7 women have obtained Women in Philanthropy microloans with assistance from WEC.
PANUSKA COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES Blessing of the Books A project in which nearly all first-year PCPS majors participate, Blessing of the Books is also one of the first opportunity for students to engage in community service as part of an academic course. Students enrolled in the Helping Professions LLC First Year Seminar course are project leaders who coordinate the collection efforts, including donating at least one new children’s book and writing inscriptions inside the books. During the 2017-2018 academic year, 272 first-year students participated and approximately 2,000 books were collected and donated to community organizations.
An Educational & Cultural Asset
Weinberg Memorial Library
Houlihan-McLean Center
The Players
“Performance Music events are our gift to the Scranton community. We are very fortunate to be able to invite the public to our concerts, clinics, and masterclasses — free of charge — to enjoy the musical talents of our student musicians and guest artist/teachers, and are delighted that so many of our Scranton neighbors take advantage of these opportunities.” — Cheryl Boga, Conductor & Director, Performance Music
CAMPUS EVENTS PROVIDED FREE TO THE PUBLIC Each year the University hosts more than 100 free events that are open to the public, including exhibits and artist lectures at the Hope Horn Gallery, Performance Music concerts and masterclasses featuring university students and renowned guest artists, as well as a variety of public lectures and athletic events.
SCHEMEL FORUM The Schemel Forum was founded in July 2006 in loving memory of Rev. George Schemel, S.J. to support cultural enrichment and education in the community. During each fall and spring academic semester, the Schemel forum offers a variety of activities and events, including World Affairs Luncheons, educational courses, collaborative programs, and a bus trip. In 2017-2018, the Schemel Forum coordinated 27 programs with 1,944 local residents attending.
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Memorial Library, the leading academic library in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is open to the public. Residents of Lackawanna County who are borrowers in good standing at the Scranton Public Library may register to borrow books, free of charge. There are 178 active Lackawanna County Borrowers. Of these, 93 list their city address as Scranton.
“The seeds of the Schemel Forum were planted more than a decade ago. Since then, we have become a community of learners — informed on current affairs and delving into the mysteries of the past — and a significant addition to our region’s rich educational and cultural life.”
— Sondra Myers, Director of The Schemel Forum
K-12 ACTIVITIES The University engages local schools and community organizations for programs that engage students from kindergarten through high school. Since 2014, first year students have begun their academic year by hosting a “Back-to-School Bonanza” for area school children in downtown Scranton. In August 2017, this community fair involved more than 270 volunteers from the class of 2021, who welcomed more than 1,000 area children and their families for educational activities held at the Marketplace at Steamtown.
Scranton School District Community Partnership As part of a community partnership program with the Scranton School District, the University has partnered with McNichols Plaza Elementary School in South Scranton since 2016. The Office of Community and Government Relations, College of Arts and Science faculty and students, and Career Development staff have partnered to provide seven in-school assemblies and campus-field trips involving the Hope Horn Gallery and Loyola Science Center as well as other activities focusing on 4th and 5th grade science and art and involving more than 180 elementary students.
Academic Competitions The University hosts various academic activities and competitions focused on high school students, such as the Hayes Family Science Competition, Math Integration Bee, Earth Day Essay Contest, Neuroscience Brain Bee, and Biomechanics Day. In 20172018, 403 high school students participated in these competitions and activities.
After-School & Mentoring Programs The University provides a variety of after-school and mentoring activities, including the Leahy Center’s University of Success college preparation program and Peacemakers after-school program; Campus Ministries’ Center for Services and Social Justice SMART mentoring program for Scranton High School students and SPARK summer program for at-risk youth run in collaboration with Scranton Preparatory School; and a College of Arts and Sciences’ enrichment program for high school students run in collaboration with United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern PA’s Leaders in Training program. In 2017-2018, more than 180 elementary, middle and high school students were served in these programs.
An Economic Engine
McGurrin Hall & Leahy Hall
The University’s overall economic impact on Northeastern Pennsylvania totals $319.6 million according to a study conducted by the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development in 2018 and based on data from the 2016-2017 academic year. University of Scranton expenditures in goods and services were $142,282,831 and its total value added was $152,060,712. In addition, operations generated over $24.2 million in federal taxes and over $12.8 million in state and local taxes.
STUDENT SPENDING For over a decade, the University, together with the other Lackawanna County colleges has conducted a survey of student spending. The survey has a special emphasis on downtown Scranton and is designed to provide information that can help to tap the economic potential of area students. Students were asked to estimate their weekly spending for a number of categories (e.g. shopping, dining, cultural events, entertainment, rent, utilities and groceries). According to a 2017 survey, University of Scranton students, which total more than 5,000, reported spending an average of $1.2 million off-campus each month.
PROPERTY & BUSINESS RELATED TAXES The University pays property tax in cases where the property has not yet been converted to educational use. In the 2017-2018 academic year, the University paid property taxes totaling $300,396 to the City of Scranton, Scranton School District, Lackawanna County and other municipalities. In addition, the University’s business partners (e.g. ARAMARK and Follett) pay various taxes, including a $30,065.21 mercantile tax paid to the City & School District. The University also pays city fees associated with fire safety, including $16,000 in 2017 in fees related to false fire alarms.
TAXES/FEES ON RECENT MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS The University has invested in more than 30 major construction projects since 1980, averaging nearly one major construction project per year. The University paid $141,571.24 in permits and fees for the restoration of the campus Commons and the Kevin. P. Quinn, S.J. Athletics Campus.
“I am incredibly proud of The University of Scranton’s quality academic offerings and its incredible economic impact. I look forward to continuing the partnership we’ve built between the Commonwealth and the University as together we advance higher education and ensure that graduates from the University will continue to drive and sustain the economic vitality of our region and our Commonwealth.”
— State Senator John P. Blake
An Anchor Institution
The Commons
JOB CREATION The University of Scranton is the 5th largest employer in Lackawanna County according to a 2017 report by Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor & Industry. Through the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development’s impact study, the University estimates that 1,953 jobs that can be directly or indirectly attributed to our presence in the region, including 1,237 employees (as of the end of the 2016-2017 academic year) and an additional 902 jobs that are supported as a result of the University’s investment. Moreover, 2,101 alumni work in the city. In total, there are more than 3,000 University employees and alumni working in Scranton.
ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS University administrators, staff and faculty are active members of numerous community boards, including social service agencies, arts and culture groups, and economic and community development organizations. In 2017, the Kania School of Management launched the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program, an academically rigorous leadership program to help high potential leaders successfully run a nonprofit organization with 15 graduating from the first cohort. The Center for Career Development regularly engages local businesses through career fairs to recruit students for local internships and job opportunities, with 500 students and 29 local businesses participating in Fall 2017, and 284 students and 30 local businesses participating in Spring 2018.
EMPLOYEE-RELATED FEES & TAX PAYMENTS The University’s non-profit status does not cover all taxes and fees, especially as it relates to employees, who pay wage taxes and an annual local services tax, which was instituted to support the City’s emergency services. 2017-2018 SUMMARY OF ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS, FEES & TAX PAYMENTS TOTALS
Wage Tax for University Employees Living in Scranton $576,437 $245,523
Local Services Tax on University Employees
$10,500
Local Services Tax on ARAMARK & Follett Employees
Total:
$832,460
VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS The University of Scranton meets or exceeds all of requirements for tax exemption in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, the University is the most consistent nonprofit in the City to provide an unrestricted, voluntary contribution. In 2017, the University increased and targeted its annual contribution, providing $200,000 to the City of Scranton, with $150,000 aimed at downtown revitalization efforts by Scranton Tomorrow and $50,000 targeted for public safety. Since 1983, the University’s contribution to the City has totaled more than $3.6 million and over $1.5 million to Lackawanna County.
Economic & Community Impact At A Glance
• Each year, the University offers more than 100 free events to the public. • The University created nearly $319.6 million in overall economic output
and supported 1,953 jobs according to data from an Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development impact study completed in 2018. • On average, each student spends $36 per month dining out off campus. • Community organizations held more than 8,013 events at the University
since 2004. • The University voluntarily contributed $200,000 to the City of Scranton
in 2017, $150,000 of which targets economic development in downtown Scranton through Scranton Tomorrow and $50,000 supporting public safety efforts. • The University has invested in more than 34 major construction projects
since 1980. • Over 3,500 students provided more than 170,000 hours of service in 2017-
2018, much of it taking place in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and including more than 33,000 hours of academic community-based learning. • Student, physician and nurse volunteers in the Leahy Clinic provide free
healthcare services to Lackawanna County’s uninsured residents — 1,023 patients in 2017. • The University awarded more than $70 million in student aid in 2017-2018. • The Scranton Small Business Development Center provided 908 consulting
hours to 139 clients in the City of Scranton in 2017 with a total of more than 12,000 hours in the past 38 years.
A Partner with Area Businesses
On & On Grand Opening with the Small Business Development Center.
Downtown Scavenger Hunt
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBDC) SUPPORT IN SCRANTON With a service area that includes eight counties, The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has been providing educational programs and no cost, confidential consulting services to entrepreneurs looking to start or grow a small business since 1980. In the past 38 years, the SBDC has provided over 12,000 hours of small business consulting to clients in the City of Scranton alone. In 2017, the SBDC’s work in the City of Scranton included:
• 139 clients were provided with a total of 908 consulting hours.
• $486,440 in approved financing was received by clients consulted in Scranton, based on business plan development and projection assistance supplied by the Scranton SBDC.
• 11 businesses were started and 51 new jobs were created.
In 2013, the SBDC launched a collaborative Small Business Internship Initiative to match businesses with students. Since its inception, 65 small business internships have been completed at 25 total small business sites, and over 720 student applications have been received. Career Development partners from 11 regional colleges and universities take part in the initiative.
DOWNTOWN ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE The University’s Office of Community Relations began its Downtown Engagement Initiative in August 2011 and works to increase the interaction of students, faculty, staff and parents with downtown Scranton. Each year, the initiative draws more than 1,500 individuals downtown through more than 10 special events and promotions, including several familiarization walking tours held in collaboration with Scranton Tomorrow. In 2017: • 85 Resident Assistants participated in a downtown tour and dinner during summer orientation. • Nearly 200 students participated in the 7th annual “Downtown Scavenger Hunt” during Fall Welcome Week that included over 30 downtown locations. • Hundreds of parents attending Family Weekend dined downtown using the “Family Table” discount program.
According to 2014 and 2017 surveys, the initiative has led to increases in student awareness and patronage of downtown businesses. In 2017, downtown dining was the most consistent and biggest draw. The initiative has been particularly successful in increasing awareness among students of major community events such as First Fridays.
A Scranton Neighbor
Commons Flag Terrace
The Estate
Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus
“Not only will the University (student-athletes) get to play their games right here in the city of Scranton, but I think of all the people who will come in from the outlying areas and from out of town. They get to play here and they also get to see all that Scranton has to offer.”
— Scranton Mayor William Courtright
The University of Scranton is proud to call the City of Scranton home. University of Scranton students, alumni and employees, account for 8% of the resident population in the City of Scranton. Local groups regularly use campus facilities for community events: since 2004, the University has hosted 8,013 events by community organizations, waiving more than $1,000,000 in room usage fees. New facilities have changed the campus and city in significant ways in recent years and contributed to community and economic revitalization.
Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus The Quinn Athletics Campus, a 14 million dollar project, addresses key athletic needs for the University while also providing community recreational opportunities and contributing to neighborhood beautification and development in the City of Scranton. Dedicated in honor of the University’s 25th president, Rev. Kevin P. Quinn S.J., in spring 2018, the 11-acre campus provides a home for the University’s soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, baseball and softball Division III NCAA teams. The campus is located along Broadway Street in Scranton, adjacent to the Lackawanna Heritage Trail and the neighborhoods of West Side and South Scranton. It provides bleacher seating, a field house with team locker rooms and training room, and parking. The campus includes a community basketball court and children’s playground, and fields are available for scheduled use by community organizations. In spring and summer 2018, 47 community-related events were held on the campus’ 3 main fields, which included local high school games, district competitions, little league practices, and summer sports camps.
Commons Improvements During the 2017-2018 academic year, the University completed a multi-phased and multiyear project to improve the Commons area on campus, connecting key university walkways to city streets and replacing concrete with a pattern of bluestone and granite pavers delineated by the installation of granite curbing. These improvements included the area between the Weinberg Memorial Library and Monroe Avenue to the Mulberry Street Parking Pavilion entrance, a phase which received $400,000 in grant funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Multimodal Transportation fund.
Estate Renovations & Landscaping In spring 2018, the University completed work on grounds near the historic Scranton Estate restoring the stone entrance and railings to make it more like the original design. A new bluestone terrace was added in front of the Estate, as well as a walkway from Monroe Avenue to the Estate and to Alumni Memorial Hall.
Community Solidarity
“We as an intellectual community must analyze causes; use imagination and creativity together to discover the remedies to our problems… and constantly hone an educational institution that is both academically excellent and ethically oriented.”
— Fr. Ignacio Ellacuría, S.J., Former President, University of Central America (UCA), Martyred 1989
The Estate
As a Catholic and Jesuit institution, The University of Scranton is committed to those most vulnerable in our midst and to working with community partners to apply our skills and resources to collectively and collaboratively address societal issues.
Living Wage Initiative In 2016, the University produced a Living Wage Report prepared by the Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development in partnership with the Ellacuría Initiative and Office of Community & Government Relations. The study outlined what constitutes a “living wage” in Northeastern Pennsylvania — what it costs to live a modest but dignified life — and included recommendations to advance the common good rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. Through collaboration from Campus Ministries’ Center for Service and Social Justice and the Communication Department, University students interviewed leaders of non-profit organizations to better understand the struggles facing their clients. In 2016 and 2017, faculty members reflected on the report in a series of five op-eds in the Scranton Times Tribune to further promote community dialogue on these important issues. The report serves as a resource for community organizations, grantmakers, and government bodies. View the report at scranton.edu/livingwage.
Refugee Solidarity Initiative The University’s Refugee Solidarity Initiative began in 2015 following Pope Francis’ call to Catholic and Jesuit institutions to respond to the global refugee crisis. Chaired by Campus Ministries, it is comprised of university administrators, faculty, staff, alumni, and students in collaboration with Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton. Since its inception, the initiative has included 7 advocacy events, 24 lectures and discussions, 4 prayer vigils, and 4 refugee camp simulations. In 2017-2018, it focused on three projects: • Student tutoring: University students developed a tutoring program for refugee children
from the Democratic Republic of Congo in partnership with local faith-based organizations, including 12 University tutors and 40 refugee teens. • Employee accompaniment: Faculty and staff participated in a new Scranton Refugee
Friendship Network, including four teams of employees paired with four refugee families from Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, accompanying them in their transition to life in Scranton. • Community celebration: University offices, Terra Preta Restaurant, Catholic Social Services,
and other partners held the third “Global Tastes of Scranton” event, a pop-up Syrian restaurant experience attended by 180 community and University members and new refugee neighbors, and involving a sharing of Syrian culture, cuisine and stories. The event series received the Scranton Chamber of Commerce 2017 “Hometown Star” award.
Office of Community Relations Scranton, PA 18510 570.941.4419 Subscribe to our Newsletter: community@scranton.edu For additional information about the University’s Economic & Community Impact, visit scranton.edu/economic-impact