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Kino Border Initiative Pilgrimage

The Kino Border Initiative is a binational organization that works in the area of migration.  It is located in both Nogales, Arizona and in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.  The Kino Border Initiative offers direct humanitarian assistance and accompaniment with migrants through its soup kitchen, nursing clinic, and women’s shelter (all located in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico).

Since 2013, faculty and staff from the University of Scranton have travelled to the Kino Border Initiative. Participants in the pilgrimage are presented with the opportunity to interact directly with the migrants during meals and in the women’s shelter.  We walk on the difficult path the migrants walk during their long journey.   We also visit two of the early Jesuit missions in the Southwest established by Fr. Eusebio Kino, S.J. (and for whom the Kino Border Initiative is named).

Participants stay in accommodations and eat their meals on the United States side of the border and travel to Mexico to work with and provide meals for migrants at the Kino Border Initiative soup kitchen. 

Prior to leaving for the border, participants will meet for lunch meetings to discuss readings and speak with faculty with expertise in migration and Latin American politics.

This year's pilgrimage will take place from January 21-25, 2017.  The Jesuit Center will pay for all expenses related to the trip.  Space is limited as the soup kitchen and women's shelter can only accommodate small groups at any given time.

If you are interested in taking part in the pilgrimage, please explain (in a separate Word document) why you would like to participate and how you believe it will influence your work at the University of Scranton.

Please submit your application to Ryan Sheehan (ryan.sheehan@scranton.edu) by October 31, 2016, in an email or as a hard copy to the Jesuit Center.

Past participants include

  • Prof. Gretchen Van Dyke, Political Science
  • Prof. Mike Allison, Chair Political Science
  • Prof. Patricia Wright, Nursing
  • Prof. Rose Sebastianelli, Operations & Information Management
  • Prof. Susan Mendez, English and Theatre
  • Prof. Satya Chattopadhyay, Management & Marketing
  • Prof. James Roberts, Chair Criminal Justice
  • Prof. Vanessa Talarico, Education
  • Ed Steinmetz, Sr. Vice President Finance & Administration
  • Gerald Zaboski, Vice Provost Enrollment Management & External Affairs
  • Robert Davis, Chief of Staff
  • Patricia Tetreault, Associate Vice President for Human Resources
  • Debra Pellegrino, Dean of The Panuska College for Professional Studies
  • Ryan Sheehan, Assistant Director, The Jesuit Center
  • Jennifer LaPorta, Executive Director, Office of Equity and Diversity
  • Meg Cullen-Brown, Graduate and Continuing Education Services
  • Fr. Dan Sweeney, S.J., Political Science
  • Fr. Ryan Maher, S.J., Former Executive Director, The Jesuit Center
  • Melissa Starace, Associate Vice President for University Advancement
  • Todd Parry, HVAC Mechanic
  • Kelly Conner, Admissions
  • Dr. Helen Wolf, Executive Director Campus Ministries
  • Tara Seeley, Administrative Assistant to the Board of Trustees
  • Elisa Cosner, Human Resource Specialist
  • Mia Collarini, Head Coach Softball
  • John Kirrane, Asst Director Student/Staff Development
  • Valarie Clark, Director Printing & Mailing Services
  • Lucia Grissinger, Recorder/Records Analyst
  • Mollie Vita, Campus Ministry

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