Engaging University Communities in Refugee Advocacy
Accompanying Refugees Through Education, Advocacy, and Action
Universities have a unique opportunity to educate future leaders while accompanying refugees and displaced people through learning, advocacy, service, and solidarity. Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)/USA partners with colleges and universities to provide refugee education resources, campus programming, experiential learning opportunities, advocacy initiatives, internships, and immersion experiences that help students transform knowledge into meaningful action.
Explore Programs
Bring JRS to Your Campus
Start an Advocacy Initiative
Featured Resources
Educator Resources
Explore teaching tools, classroom resources, and opportunities to help students learn about forced migration and refugee protection.
Advocacy Center
Help your campus community take action on policies that affect refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced people.
Catholic Social Teaching & Migration
Connect refugee accompaniment and migration advocacy with Catholic Social Teaching and the call to uphold human dignity.
Student Engagement & Programs
JRS/USA works with university communities to create meaningful opportunities for students to learn about forced displacement, accompany refugees and migrants, and put faith and justice into action.
Campus Programming & Engagement Ideas
This section is especially important for campus ministers—practical ways to activate students through learning, prayer, advocacy, and direct engagement.
Bring JRS to Your Campus
Invite JRS staff and refugee speakers to engage students in conversations about migration, accompaniment, and refugee protection.
Migration Awareness Weeks
Create campus-wide programming that raises awareness of refugee experiences and forced displacement.
Prayer Services & Liturgies
Use refugee-focused prayer and liturgical resources to help students connect faith, reflection, and action.
Film Screenings
Host screenings followed by guided discussions that encourage reflection, dialogue, and student engagement.
Advocacy Workshops
Equip students with practical advocacy skills while exploring refugee and immigration policy issues.
Faculty Panels
Bring together faculty across theology, political science, social work, global studies, and other disciplines.
Court Observation Project
Many migrants appear in immigration court without legal representation or support. Through the JRS/USA Court Observation Project, students, staff, and community members serve as trained observers—offering a respectful presence while documenting proceedings.
This initiative provides a unique opportunity for students to accompany migrants, uphold dignity, and promote transparency within the immigration system.
Why Universities Participate
Experiential Learning
Students gain firsthand insight into immigration systems while connecting classroom learning with real-world accompaniment.
Catholic Social Teaching
The project offers a service opportunity rooted in human dignity, solidarity, and accompaniment.
Immigration System Awareness
Students build a deeper understanding of immigration court proceedings and the challenges migrants face.
Learn About the Court Observation Project→
Read testimonies from observers →
Student Leadership Opportunities
Empower students to lead with compassion, knowledge, and action. JRS/USA offers a range of opportunities for university students to deepen their engagement with refugee accompaniment while building leadership skills rooted in justice and solidarity.
Internships with JRS
Students can gain hands-on experience through internships that connect academic learning with real-world impact.
Campus Action Teams
Mobilize student leaders as ambassadors who organize events, lead advocacy efforts, and connect peers to JRS initiatives.
Peer Education Initiatives
Students can lead workshops, discussions, and awareness campaigns on forced migration, refugee rights, and global justice.
Help Students Lead with Compassion
Equip students to become advocates, ambassadors, and informed leaders for refugee justice.
Advocacy & Action Pathways
Turn Learning into Action
Empower your campus community to advocate for refugees through policy engagement, campaigns, and collective action.
Advocacy Day Participation
Connect students with advocacy opportunities that turn classroom learning into public action for refugee protection.
Letter-Writing Campaigns
Help students contact policymakers and advocate for policies that uphold the dignity and rights of displaced people.
Policy Brief Workshops
Guide students in analyzing refugee and migration policy issues and communicating recommendations effectively.
Student Clubs
Build sustained engagement through student-led groups focused on refugee education, advocacy, and solidarity.
Advocacy Curriculum Guide
Ready to inspire your students to become advocates? Our curriculum guide equips educators with structured modules, discussion prompts, and action pathways for engaging students in global migration, human rights, and advocacy.
From Classroom to Capitol Hill
This published paper explores how advocacy can serve as a powerful form of experiential learning in Jesuit higher education. Developed collaboratively by JRS/USA and university educators, it highlights best practices for integrating policy engagement into academic settings.
Curricular & Co-curricular Resources
Classroom to Community: Migration Education Tools
Integrate refugee and migration issues into your curriculum. JRS/USA offers adaptable academic resources designed for higher education settings—ideal for theology, political science, social work, and global studies courses.
Ideal for Courses In:
- Theology
- Political science
- Social work
- Global studies
- Human rights
- Migration studies
Experiential Learning Opportunities
The Encuentro Project
Experience the realities of migration at the U.S.–Mexico border through the Encuentro Project. This immersion in El Paso introduces students, faculty, and campus leaders to JRS/USA and partner organizations working on the front lines—including cross-border accompaniment in Mexico.
Participants engage directly with migrants, service providers, and advocates, gaining a deeper understanding of forced displacement and the call to solidarity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can universities partner with JRS/USA?
Universities can partner with JRS/USA through campus programming, guest speakers, advocacy initiatives, prayer services, immersion experiences, internships, and student leadership opportunities.
What refugee advocacy opportunities are available for students?
Students can participate in letter-writing campaigns, Advocacy Day, Campus Action Teams, policy workshops, peer education initiatives, and the JRS/USA Court Observation Project.
What is the JRS/USA Court Observation Project?
The Court Observation Project trains students, staff, and community members to observe immigration court proceedings, offer a respectful presence, and document what they witness to promote transparency and dignity.
Can JRS/USA provide speakers for campus events?
Yes. JRS/USA can help connect campuses with guest speakers, including JRS staff and refugee voices, for lectures, panels, awareness weeks, and student events.
Are there refugee education resources for faculty?
Yes. JRS/USA offers curriculum resources, advocacy guides, published papers, and experiential learning opportunities that can be adapted for higher education courses.
How can campus ministers engage students in refugee accompaniment?
Campus ministers can host prayer services, liturgies, reflection events, awareness weeks, advocacy workshops, and immersion opportunities that help students connect faith with action.
Bring JRS to Your Campus
Help students learn, pray, advocate, and accompany refugees and displaced people.
Related Resources
Learn more about refugee education, accompaniment, advocacy, and ways to engage your campus community.
Court Observation Project
Learn how students and community members can accompany migrants in immigration court.
Advocacy Curriculum Guide
Access structured modules, discussion prompts, and advocacy activities for students.
Campus Action Teams
Help student leaders organize awareness, advocacy, and engagement on campus.
