Chapter 8: Co-Curricular Life

Co-Curricular Life

Here at the Jesuit School of Theology, you will study and grow in an international community engaged in theological inquiry, pastoral formation, and professional and spiritual renewal. We are women and men; lay and religious; Roman Catholics and persons of other religious traditions. Diverse in charism and cultural identity, we are united in our shared commitment to honor and learn from each other. As members of the Graduate Theological Union, we strive for ecumenical and interfaith understanding along with our fellow schools in the consortium. As a graduate school of Santa Clara University, we explore the intersection of theology with other disciplines and participate fully in the life of the University.

Your academic pursuits at Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University will be accompanied by a diversely rich offering of co-curricular formation in which you are invited to engage. As well, the JST provides student services that enhance your lived experience and support your well being.

Student and Community Life Office

The JST Student and Community Life Office is a hub for co-curricular activity in support of student learning and school-wide community building. Our efforts focus on supporting the full student experience, fostering a vital, stimulating environment of care and respect in which all our students may deepen their formation through encounter and relationship with others.

The Student Life Office attends to student welfare, providing “cura personalis” to students and ensuring delivery of student support services that enhance physical/mental health and well-being. Through active coordination and engagement with SCU south campus offices and departments, Student Life provides access to resources for our JST community. Student Life partners with other member schools of the GTU consortium in striving for ecumenical and interfaith understanding and engagement.

Student Support Services

The Student Life office is the liaison with numerous SCU offices and departments that provide student services, including: Bursar/Financial Services, International Students and Scholars (supports international students), Office of Accessible Education, Cowell Health and Counseling Center (including student health insurance and CAPS-counseling & psychological services), the Title IX office, SCU Student Life, Campus Ministry, SCU Career Services and the ACCESS office (issues SCU Student ID cards). Student Housing is managed by the JST Housing Office (see below).

JST Community Life

The Student and Community Life Office collaborates across our JST community to organize special celebrations throughout the year, such as Orientation Brunch, Welcome BBQ, Guadalupe Fiesta, Lunar New Year Dinner and our Annual Talent Show. Weekly Community Nights are hosted by this office and are times when our entire community comes together to pray, share a meal and enjoy uniquely diverse programming. All of these shared moments provide a backdrop upon which our students, staff and faculty develop collegial friendships that connect our widely diverse and cross-cultural JST family. Co-curricular presentations, lectures, and panel discussions complement classroom learning. In the JST Manresa Lounge, students are welcome to hold informal gatherings, meet for coffee and conversation, and read current magazines and periodicals.

Student Life publishes the MAGIS, a weekly digital e-newsletter that provides information about events within JST, the GTU, SCU, and the wider community. Other items of interest are posted on school bulletin boards. Every fall, a JST Directory is distributed that contains addresses, phone numbers, and emails of all students, faculty, and staff to facilitate communication.

Student Leadership and Student Groups

Opportunities for student leadership at JST provide a venue for student voices and perspectives.

• Academic Council - serving as the student representative for one’s degree program on this council that focuses particularly on academic and curricular issues as well as the overall life of the school;

• JST-SCU Board of Directors - serving as a student representative on one of the sub-committees of the Board;

• New Horizons: JST Student Theological Journal -serving as the editorial board or as an author of this well regarded journal of thought;

• Liturgy Committee - serving on the committee to plan and assess the liturgical life of the school

• Student Affinity Groups - Students often form and organize according to interest and affiliation. Such as the Women's Faith Sharing Group, “ThursDei,” Contemplative Walks Group and others…..

Housing

The JST Housing Office oversees three university owned and operated apartment style residence halls including the Jean Donovan Lay Intentional Community. Our residence halls are located at 2600 Virginia Street, 2564 Virginia Street, and 2466 Virginia Street. Each individual apartment comes fully furnished and our rental prices include utilities. Onsite parking is not available to our residents, but a residential parking permit can be purchased for on street parking from the City of Berkeley or a monthly parking permit can be purchased for the Pacific School of Religion’s parking lot which is open to all GTU member schools.

Each residence hall has a live-in student staff member, Building Resident Manager (BRM), who contributes to the hospitality, safety and security of each building. The BRMs serve on an on-call duty rotation during evenings, weekends and breaks throughout the academic year. The BRMs report to the Manager of Housing and Building Operations.

To apply for housing with the Jesuit School of Theology, you can submit a JST Housing application through eCampus. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and housing assignments are made if space is available at the time of the application. A $500 prepayment deposit. More information can be found on the JST Housing’s website or you can contact JST Housing at [phone].