Program Descriptions

Program Description:
The Appalachian Experience (APEX) offers students an experience of community, serving with other and for others, while learning about the culture and concerns of the people of the Appalachian region. During the spring break immersion experience, students will learn, serve, and grow in relationship with the communities in Appalachia. 

Program Location(s):
Students will be assigned to one of the following organizations:

• Towns of Clifton Forge and Covington, VA (Parrish Court United Methodist Church 2343 S Carpenter Dr, Covington, VA 24426)
• Apple Ridge Farm (9230 Pine Forest Rd NE, Copper Hill, VA 24079)
• Wade Center (1400 Highland Avenue, Bluefield, West Virginia 24701)
• Morgan Scott Project (1022 Old Deer Lodge Pike Deer Lodge, TN 37726)
• Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity (Rema Christian Center 3584 Davis Stuart Road, Lewisburg, WV 24901)
• Housing Development Alliance (2871 North Main St. Hazhard, KY 41701)
• MCC SWAP (Elkhorn Community Church 3040 Elkhorn Creek, Elkhorn City, KY)
• Appalachia Habitat for Humanity (115 Mt Laurel Dr Robbins, TN 37852)
• Town of St. Paul (16531 Russell St, St Paul, VA 24283)
• Appalachian Institute at Wheeling University (Air Farms 92 Battle Run Rd, Triadelphia, WV 26059)
• Ashe County Habitat for Humanity (127 Beaver Creek School Rd, West Jefferson, NC 28694)
• Hometown Habitat for Humanity (320 Cothren Street, Wilkesboro, North Carolina)

Additionally, several groups will spend one night at:

• The Fieldhouse 14810 Murdock Street Chantilly, VA

Transportation to Location(s):
Ground transportation in SJU-owned vans and vans rented from Enterprise.

Description of Activities and Related Requirement:
During the spring break immersion trip, students will take part in various physical service projects that may include, but are not limited to: light construction, cleaning, painting, lifting, climbing ladders, and using hammers, saws, or power tools. Work may be indoors or outdoors. Other service projects will include personal interaction with members of the community we are visiting.  Hiking and other outdoor recreation may also be a part of some trips. Wheelchair accessibility is not guaranteed at all sites.

Hotel or Housing Accommodations:
Varies per site as accommodations will be provided by the host organization. Churches, gymnasiums, camp facilities, retreat centers etc. are utilized, each requiring participants to bring sleeping bags or blankets.  No hotels. Packing lists are provided to participants prior to departure.

Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements:
In addition to the Community Standards, the following   Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements apply:

• No illegal drug possession or use; no alcohol possession or use, even if age 21 or over 
• Use of cell phones is limited.

Link to application and more information:
The application link for APEX and more information can be found on the APEX website: sju.edu/APEX

Program Location(s):
Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009, US

Transportation to Location(s):
Students and staff will drive in SJU vehicles. 

Description of Activities and Related Requirements:
The program involves attending a conference. 

Hotel or Housing Accommodations:
Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009, US

Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements:
In addition to the Community Standards, the following Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements apply:

• COVID vaccinations are mandatory for participants 
• No illegal drug possession or use; no alcohol possession or use, even if age 21 or over

Link to application:
The application will be posted yearly in the fall on the Campus Ministry website.

Link to application:
A link to the application can be found at sju.edu/PSIP.

Link to application:
Weekly Service applications can be found on the Weekly Service website.

Program Description:
A 24-hour retreat for students involved in SJU’s Chapel Choir and Band to relax, pray, have fun, sing/play music, and learn about one another on a deeper level.

Program Location(s):
St. Raphaela Retreat Center - Haverford, PA

Transportation to Location(s):
Students usually carpool to and from the retreat, with upperclass students driving others.  If needed, SJU vans are used.

Description of Activities and Related Requirements:
Community builders, student-led talks, small group discussions, music rehearsals, morning and evening prayer,

Hotel or Housing Accommodations:
Housing accommodations at St. Raphaela Center

Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements:
In addition to the Community Standards, the following Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements apply:

• You must be a member of the SJU Chapel Choir or Band to participate in this retreat.
• Cell phone usage is limited.
• No illegal drug possession or use; no alcohol possession or use, even if age 21 or over
• COVID vaccinations are mandatory for all participants.

Link to application:
No application.

Program Description:
The Discover retreat is for juniors and seniors who have already made the Search retreat.  It offers an opportunity to revisit and deepen many of the experiences from Search, with a focus on discerning where God is calling you in your life today.

Program Location(s):
Saint Raphaela Center, 616 Coopertown Road, Haverford, PA 19041

Transportation to Location(s):
Students drive themselves to the Saint Raphaela Center in carpools in their own vehicles.

Description of Activities and Related Requirements:
Most of the activities on the retreat take place indoors, and involve sitting while listening to talks by other students or meeting with each other in small groups.  Some brief activities will be outdoors and involve light amounts of physical activity such as stretching, running, and jumping.

Hotel or Housing Accommodations:
The Saint Raphaela Center provides housing for students and staff in a combination of single, double, or triple accommodations.

Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements:
In addition to the Community Standards, the following Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements apply:

Students are asked to minimize their use of cell phones, to keep any information that other students share confidential (except in the cases of mandatory reporting and students who may be a danger to themselves or others).  Students are asked not to use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs, and to refrain physical intimacy while at the Saint Raphaela Center.

Link to application:
There is a single site where the applications for the Spark, Ignite, Search, Discover, and Senior Retreats can be found.  The application for a particular retreat is only available on that site when registration is actually open.  At other times, the page is blank.  The page can be found at the following link: https://epay.sju.edu/C21318_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=93&SINGLESTORE=true

Program Description:
Ignite is a weekend retreat for first-year students designed to help them continue their spiritual growth at SJU.  It is centered around the idea of understanding themselves as beloved sons and daughters of God, and reflecting on that idea through a series of talks by their fellow students, and small group discussions.

Program Location(s):
Saint Raphaela Center, 616 Coopertown Road, Haverford, PA 19041

Transportation to Location(s):
Participants travel to and from the Saint Raphaela Center in a school bus chartered from First Student Inc.  Some student leaders also travel on the bus, while others drive either their own vehicle or a university vehicle, depending on the program’s needs.

Description of Activities and Related Requirements:
Most of the activities on the retreat take place indoors, and involve sitting while listening to talks by other students or meeting with each other in small groups.  Some brief activities will be outdoors and involve light amounts of physical activity such as stretching, running, and jumping.  Students briefly gather around an outdoor firepit.

Hotel or Housing Accommodations:
The Saint Raphaela Center provides housing for students and staff in a combination of single, double, or triple accommodations.

Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements:
In addition to the Community Standards, the following Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements apply:

Students are asked to minimize their use of cell phones, to keep any information that other students share confidential (except in the cases of mandatory reporting and students who may be a danger to themselves or others).  Students are asked not to use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs, and to refrain physical intimacy while at the Saint Raphaela Center.

Link to application:
There is a single site where the applications for the Spark, Ignite, Search, Discover, and Senior Retreats can be found.  The application for a particular retreat is only available on that site when registration is actually open.  At other times, the page is blank.  The page can be found at the following link: https://epay.sju.edu/C21318_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=93&SINGLESTORE=true

Program Description:
Search is a weekend retreat for sophomores, juniors, and seniors.  The experience is one of renewal and reflection, with time to think, walk, pray, create, communicate, connect, laugh and rest.  It is a weekend of personal and spiritual exploration.

Program Location(s):
Saint Raphaela Center, 616 Coopertown Road, Haverford, PA 19041

Transportation to Location(s):
Participants travel to and from the Saint Raphaela Center in a school bus chartered from First Student Inc.  Some student leaders also travel on the bus, while others drive either their own vehicle or a university vehicle, depending on the program’s needs.

Description of Activities and Related Requirements:
Most of the activities on the retreat take place indoors, and involve sitting while listening to talks by other students or meeting with each other in small groups.  Some brief activities will be outdoors and involve light amounts of physical activity such as stretching, running, and jumping.  The students also engage in an outdoor trust walk, in which one member of a pair is blindfolded, while the other guides them on a walk around the property.

Hotel or Housing Accommodations:
The Saint Raphaela Center provides housing for students and staff in a combination of single, double, or triple accommodations.

Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements:
In addition to the Community Standards, the following Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements apply:

Students are asked to minimize their use of cell phones, to keep any information that other students share confidential (except in the cases of mandatory reporting and students who may be a danger to themselves or others).  Students are asked not to use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs, and to refrain physical intimacy while at the Saint Raphaela Center.

Link to application:
There is a single site where the applications for the Spark, Ignite, Search, Discover, and Senior Retreats can be found.  The application for a particular retreat is only available on that site when registration is actually open.  At other times, the page is blank.  The page can be found at the following link: https://epay.sju.edu/C21318_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=93&SINGLESTORE=true

Program Description:
Seniors make an overnight retreat to reflect on and celebrate their time at SJU, and discern where they are being called to go next.

Program Location(s):
Saint Raphaela Center, 616 Coopertown Road, Haverford, PA 19041

Transportation to Location(s):
Students drive themselves to the Saint Raphaela Center in car pools in their own vehicles.

Description of Activities and Related Requirements:
Most of the activities on the retreat take place indoors, and involve sitting while listening to talks by other students or meeting with each other in small groups.  Some brief activities will be outdoors and involve light amounts of physical activity such as stretching, running, and jumping.

Hotel or Housing Accommodations:
The Saint Raphaela Center provides housing for students and staff in a combination of single, double, or triple accommodations.

Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements:
In addition to the Community Standards, the following Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements apply:

Students are asked to minimize their use of cell phones, to keep any information that other students share confidential (except in the cases of mandatory reporting and students who may be a danger to themselves or others).  Students are asked not to use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs, and to refrain physical intimacy while at the Saint Raphaela Center.

Link to application:
There is a single site where the applications for the Spark, Ignite, Search, Discover, and Senior Retreats can be found.  The application for a particular retreat is only available on that site when registration is actually open.  At other times, the page is blank.  The page can be found at the following link: https://epay.sju.edu/C21318_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=93&SINGLESTORE=true

Program Description:
Spark is an overnight retreat in the early fall which is designed to help first-year students (1) foster new friendships, (2) learn the basics of Ignatian spirituality and (3) begin to discover what it means to be a Hawk in a fun and intentional way.

Program Location(s):
Saint Raphaela Center, 616 Coopertown Road, Haverford, PA 19041

Transportation to Location(s):
Participants travel to and from the Saint Raphaela Center in a school bus chartered from First Student Inc.  Some student leaders also travel on the bus, while others drive either their own vehicle or a university vehicle, depending on the program’s needs.

Description of Activities and Related Requirements:
Most of the activities on the retreat take place indoors, and involve sitting while listening to talks by other students or meeting with each other in small groups.  Some brief activities will be outdoors and involve light amounts of physical activity such as stretching, running, and jumping.  Students briefly gather around an outdoor firepit with sparklers.

Hotel or Housing Accommodations:
The Saint Raphaela Center provides housing for students and staff in a combination of single, double, or triple accommodations.

Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements:
In addition to the Community Standards, the following Campus Ministry Rules/Requirements apply:

Students are asked to minimize their use of cell phones, to keep any information that other students share confidential (except in the cases of mandatory reporting and students who may be a danger to themselves or others).  Students are asked not to use alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs, and to refrain physical intimacy while at the Saint Raphaela Center.

Link to application:
There is a single site where the applications for the Spark, Ignite, Search, Discover, and Senior Retreats can be found.  The application for a particular retreat is only available on that site when registration is actually open.  At other times, the page is blank.  The page can be found at the following link: https://epay.sju.edu/C21318_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=93&SINGLESTORE=true