Cabrini University has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund. The grant will help develop a cross-institutional program that brings students from Cabrini and Universidad del Salvador (USAL) in Buenos Aires to live and study together at their respective campuses and abroad.

Supported by Santander Bank, the grant competition named Cabrini one of only nine new partnerships named by the U.S. Department of State, Partners of the Americas, and NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

“Since coming to Cabrini four years ago, it has been a priority to further expand our international partnerships with diverse universities and fellow Catholic institutions abroad,” said Cabrini University President Donald B. Taylor, PhD. “This one-of-a-kind collaboration enhances the typical study abroad experience to offer a cohort of students from both Cabrini and Universidad del Salvador a transformational study experience.”

The program will create a bilateral exchange program that will engage students across disciplines as well as those underrepresented or with limited resources that are traditionally required to participate in study abroad programs. The program will focus on experiential learning and encourage students from Cabrini and USAL to reflect on themes of social justice education, social responsibility, and social change while incorporating language-learning and cultural competencies as they travel and take classes together for three weeks at each of the partnering universities in a six-week summer program.

During the first three weeks at Cabrini, students will be part of a Living and Learning Community which focuses on inspiring cross-cultural competence while prioritizing experiential learning. Students will then travel together as a learning community to Argentina to continue their collective efforts at USAL.

“This program creates the opportunity for students in the cohort to be both the newcomer and the mentor—providing a way to encourage unity of purpose and diversity of perspective,” said Director of the program Paul Wright, PhD, Assistant Provost for International Affairs. “We’re doing more than simply broadening students’ horizons—we’re confronting alienation and misunderstanding by bringing students into close contact with their peers and faculty in a way that highlights the enduring power of overcoming shared challenges in a collaborative community.”

After the six-week program, students will then participate in virtual exchanges throughout the semester following their travels to continue building their connections.  ~ Cabrini University website

On Monday, October 16, Cabrini University hosted its seventh annual Domestic Violence Awareness Symposium and the official launch the Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence.

A half-day Domestic Violence Symposium focused on family perspectives on the tragedies of domestic violence through “A Conversation with Janine Rajauski.” There was also a panel discussion with Bill Mitchell, President of the Kristin Mitchell Foundation; Monica Jenkinson and Minna Davis of Laurel House; Barbara and John Jordan, advocates of domestic violence education; and Eliza Costoso, PsyD, Counseling and Psychological Services at Cabrini University. Each program was followed by an audience Q&A.

In the evening, Cabrini welcomed its community of domestic violence awareness advocates and educators as it officially launched the new Barbara and John Jordan Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence Education.

The launch featured a keynote presentation by Lynn Rosenthal, Policy Director for Violence Against Women Initiatives for the Biden Foundation, and a ceremonial launch.

The mission statement of the Center reads, “furthering Cabrini’s Education of the Heart, the Center Center for Children of Trauma and Domestic Violence Education strives to end domestic violence and support children of trauma by promoting social change through professional development, training, education, research, and community.”

The Center will:

• Educate teachers, leaders, and advocates to end violence in the lives of children, women, and men
• Offer proven, community-informed tactics to prevent domestic violence, and to become aware of and help heal children of trauma
• Confront in effective new ways the challenges of intimate partner violence
• Better inform first contact educators, nurses, and others of the effects of domestic violence and trauma on children’s learning and professionals and domestic violence advocates while offering community-informed methods of tackling domestic violence and working with children of trauma

Throughout the month, Cabrini students also are hosting events honoring domestic violence awareness, including a Mass, movie screenings, and a dress-in-purple day.