Student Testimonials

The SJC Program was essential to developing my critical thinking skills and provided me with the background necessary to engage with issues facing us everyday. The aim of the program is to complicate a “traditional” education by unraveling its origins and complexities. It takes an ordinary subject and searches for the gaps in educational material for the students to examine; at this time we, the students, would recognize that we were not looking at small holes but rather at entire ravines of knowledge that were not taken into account. We discovered that a person is more influenced by what they don’t know in comparison to what they think they do. The ordinary was now extraordinary, and the extraordinary was put into the context of a classroom for each student to interpret as they chose.

Rebecca Mesay, SJC 2016-2017

The Social Justice Colloquium was an amazing first year option and I am thrilled to have been a part of it. As someone that is intrigued by the plethora of social justice issues in the world, I loved being able to explore this concept as it related to History, Women and Gender Studies, and Anthropology. Attending three courses with the same group of people enabled me to form close friendships, and develop amazing study groups to further enhance my understanding of the course material and ultimately to succeed in my courses. The professors are outstanding, and took the time to get to know each student on a first name basis. The SJC professors were always very helpful and approachable if you didn’t understand a lecture topic or an assignment. One of my favorite parts of the social justice colloquium were the social justice colloquium days. During these days, we would spend the entire duration of the three classes discussing one engaging issue—such as activism and child labor in the global north versus child labor in the global south—in order to create a deeper understanding of a complex issues. Participating in the SJC was a wonderful experience, and I would highly recommend it!

Brittney Kraft, SJC 2015-2016

Now approaching my third year of University, I have decided to do an Honors in Anthropology and Subsidiary in International Development. I have found a passion in learning about other social and cultural ways of life, and intend to do research in sustainable development (hopefully somewhere in the Global South). I am currently a member of the Breaking the Silence group on campus, and am planning on being more involved in the next two years! I am also on Orientation Crew 2016, as well as a committee member for the east coast leadership conference. Although I am not completely set on a career yet, I plan on going on to do a masters program; either in social anthropology/international development or in communications. (I am looking at either working towards getting my ph.d and becoming a prof. or becoming a reporter/ having a communications job, such as in foreign affairs). SJC has been a crucial factor in guiding me towards a passion that I didn’t know I had. Before being a part of SJC, I planned on becoming a highschool language teacher. SJC opened me up to discover how truly diverse and complex the world is. It also helped me understand the privilege I have as a student in the Northern world, and has motivated me to become more aware of this. It taught me to be critical of the role I am capable of playing in society, and has gave me a desire to reach out to the less privileged. I highly recommend SJC for any arts students who think it is a program that may interest them. I took a chance on it, and it turned out to be a very important part of my academic path and future!

Elizabeth Holmes, SJC 2014-2015

UPDATE: I am going into my third year at STFX and have decided to joint major in Development Studies and Women and Gender Studies. After the SJC my first year it just made sense to me to try development studies, I knew I wanted to help work on the social justice issues that face our world today. I have always felt like I needed to choice between the environment or social justice issues, but I have found that I don't have to pick one or the other any more. I am able to study a wide variety of topics that interest me. While I am unsure what kind of career I'd like to go into, I know that I want to help fight against the social inequalities present in our communities as well as working towards more sustainable industries. I also want to help educate others about recognizing the injustices in the world and that we have the power to make change. None of this would be possible if I had not joined the SJC.

SJC was one of the best decisions I made for my first year in university. I spent pretty much every day with the same group of students, which made the first couple of weeks really nice. We formed a Facebook group right away to communicate with one another. This group became a great resource. We shared notes, expressed questions, shared articles, and we were able to continue conversations that had started in one of the three classrooms. What I loved most about the SJC was how the professors worked together and our classes really supported each other. Events we learned in history could be further explained by anthro or WMGS. As a student I have always wondered, why, and I was able to explore why some of these events happened and what larger institutions were at work. I found a great support system through the SJC through my peers and teachers that I just don't think would come from a normal class. Our ties between each other are strong as we've continued to talk to each other, share articles of interest, and become more relaxed about classes to start again as we realized so many of us will be in the same classes in our second year. SJC broadens your mind as a student, teaches you to ask the important questions, where to find answers, and forms strong relationships to one another.

McCulloch LaForce, SJC 2014-2015

Applying for the Social Justice Colloquium was by far one of the best decisions I have ever made! Having three classes with other people who shared my interests and passions helped me develop academically and socially. Somewhere between the study groups, the note sharing and the class discussions, we became a family. The SJC changed my entire perspective on life and the way I see the world. Service Learning was one of my favorite aspects of the program. Working with others really helped me apply what I had learned in a real-life context. Plus, the SJC professors are some of the most helpful and understanding people I have ever met and are rooting for your success. I can’t imagine my life now without the SJC in it!

Meaghan Landry, SJC 2014-2015

Honestly the Social Justice Colloquium exceeded my expectations and was an amazing experience. Through history, anthropology and women's and gender studies, my perspective of the world changed dramatically, and gave me an interconnected perspective of what social justice really means. My favorite part of the Social Justice Colloquium would have to be my service learning placement. Working with my placement personalized and brought my learning, from every course, to life. Somehow this colloquium became a family, connected through our common goal to make this world better. Through this program, I am excited to say that I have found my calling to work towards social justice. I am so lucky to have spent my last year with these amazing people and I would recommend this to anyone looking to find a new perspective and to anyone striving towards community and world change.

Caitlin Harty, SJC 2014-2015

The SJC was a great opportunity to take History, Anthropology, and Women and Gender Studies supplemented by the StFX service learning program. My service learning placement helped me to better understand the topics I was learning about in class along with the people in my community. I got to meet many like-minded people in the colloquium who were very committed to learning and making a difference in society. I also had the chance to not only learn about the issues and problems in our society, but to learn about how to really make a difference. This was a truly unique and enjoyable experience that I would not hesitate to repeat!

Annie Maltby, SJC 2014-2015

Before finding out about the Social Justice Colloquium, StFX was the last school I wanted to attend… one year later I couldn’t be happier about my choice to come to X and more importantly joining SJC. Being socially aware and having a desperate passion to make a difference can at times be so exhausting that it makes you want to give up and stop caring (ignorance certainly is bliss) yet with SJC I was constantly reminded that it is worth it. The Social Justice Colloquium has already given me more knowledge and education about my passion for feminism in my first year than I could have imagined. In addition to academics, I have also become a more caring, understanding, and tolerant (yet, less tolerant of ignorance and injustice) person. I consider every other individual I had the opportunity to spend those 8 months with an SJC a friend. I have met some of my closest friends through the program, yet even those I did not become very close with are extremely supportive of myself and my endeavours and vice versa. I recommend this colloquium to any future students with a passion for knowledge, and a drive to make a difference in our world.

Jasmine Cormier, SJC 2014-2015

My first year at StFX was a great one! I met so many friends and really felt like I belonged in the community on campus. A huge contribution to what made my first year so great was the SJC program. It was helpful to have familiar faces around you every day in class, and I think that was highly beneficial in creating a comfortable classroom environment. The 3 subjects (Anthropology, History, Women’s and Gender Studies) stimulated my academic interests and definitely played a critical role in my narrowing down of career paths and life goals/desires. I was fortunate enough to travel to Guatemala with the StFX Service Learning program (the same program that we used in our courses for our volunteer experiences) over the winter reading break with one of my SJC professors. This experience aided in bringing the issues we discussed in our program to a realistic perspective and helped me open my eyes to the vastness of the world, its land, culture and people. For second year I am taking courses in Development Studies, Anthropology, Women’s and Gender Studies and History all of which were influenced by the learnings I had in the SJC program. My first year would not have been as successful and rewarding had I not taking part in this program; therefore I strongly recommend this program for any first year students with an interest in these subject areas.

Elizabeth Holmes, SJC 2014-2015

SJC was the best decision I could have made coming into university. Having the same group of people in the majority of your classes not only helps the transition to university, but builds an amazing group of core friends that are there with you the whole year. Social justice was a perfect stepping stone for majoring in development studies, and gave so many diverse and interesting opportunities throughout the year, I am so thankful to have been able to be a part of this!!

Makayla Jodrey, SJC 2014-2015