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Dear Friends of Nicaragua,
As president of Seattle University, I urge you to consider supporting students in need at Universidad Centroamericana (UCA), a Jesuit university in Managua, Nicaragua. Seattle University has had a longstanding special partnership with the UCA, in line with our shared Jesuit educational mission, and for that reason I am honored to extend this appeal on their behalf and with their full support. Let me explain.
The people of Nicaragua have been suffering under an ongoing crisis since April as repressive government tactics have been used to subdue peaceful civilian demonstrations leading to over 500 deaths and an additional 4,000 injured. Since July, there have been cuts and delays in the financial support the Nicaraguan government provides to the UCA. This, combined with the economic hardships that the families of UCA students are facing, has made scholarship assistance even more necessary. The faculty and staff of the university, led by Fr. Chepe Idiaquez, S.J., president of the UCA, are forging ahead to provide online courses to their students (the safest way to continue with teaching and learning in this period), but they have now lost those scholarship funds for thousands of students.
Because UCA students have been particularly vulnerable, friends in the global family of Jesuit institutions have come together in solidarity to express support. Your financial assistance is needed for these deserving students to continue their education at the UCA in the midst of this crisis. A gift of $100 covers 1 month of tuition for one student; $300 covers an academic quarter, and $1,200 covers a full academic year. To help raise funds in a timely way, I am asking that you contribute between now and Christmas, allowing the UCA to receive the funds as quickly as possible in order to continue educating its students.
Your tax-deductible donation may be made through the Jesuits Central and Southern Province that is linked in a “twinning relationship” with the Jesuit Province of Central America. One hundred percent of your gift will be transferred securely to the UCA through this provincial relationship. You can make a secure online contribution (or receive directions on how to send a check) via this dedicated website:
https://connect.jesuitscentralsouthern.org/UCAScholarships
Learn more about the crisis and read letters of support at the AJCU website, and receive answers to your specific questions about this appeal at Seattle University’s Global Engagement website.
Your gift is a great expression of hope and solidarity with the UCA in Nicaragua and the young people they serve, and it will strengthen our colleagues in their continued effort to live out their Jesuit educational mission in a critical time in the life of their country.
In gratitude,
Stephen V. Sundborg, S.J.
President
Seattle University
Seattle University has had a connection to the UCA for over 20 years, and we formalized an official partnership in 2014. Our partnership is characterized by student and faculty exchanges, joint research, and a variety of collaborative projects. In this challenging time for them as an institution, and in light of our partnership, UCA has asked SU to extend their request for student scholarship support in the extended Jesuit university and Ignatian family in the United States.
For many years, the Jesuits Central and Southern Province has been in a “twinning relationship” with the Central American Province, and the UCA is one of three Jesuit universities within the Central American Province. As part of their twining relationship, Jesuits Central and Southern Province already has developed and used a secure mechanism to transfer any funds intended for the UCA from donors in the United States. This mechanism is the most secure way to assure the delivery of funds to the UCA.
Your donation is indeed tax-deductible, and you will receive an acknowledgement from the staff of the Jesuits Central and Southern Province. The UCA will use all donated funds as scholarship monies for their students in financial need.. This will allow these students to continue in their studies in this challenging time.
Please feel free to share this information with friends and colleagues who may have an inclination or desire to help UCA university students in Nicaragua at this time! The best way to do this is to forward the email you receive, so that all the hyperlinks (including the donation link) remain active. Thank you for spreading the word!
Please follow the FaceBook page of Seattle University Central America Initiative where we regularly upload a range of articles and opinions about what is currently going on in Nicaragua.
If you have specific questions, please feel free to email the Office of Global Engagement at global@seattleu.edu. You may also contact the Faculty Coordinator for the Central America Initiative, Serena Cosgrove, at cosgrovs@seattleu.edu, or the Special Assistant to the Provost for Global Engagement, Joe Orlando, at jorlando@seattleu.edu.
