December 2024 Newsletter
In this edition:
- President's Message
- Student Affairs Summer Graduate Internships at JASPA Institutions
- NJSLC 2025 @ Saint Louis University
- JASPA 2025 5-Year Institute: Program Proposal Deadline Extended
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President's Message
Season's Greetings, JASPA Colleagues!
If you are like me, the late Thanksgiving this year may have thrown you for a bit of a loop. The holiday season -- known for its perennial bustling energy -- seems, well, a bit extra this year. The demands on our time and attention feel more pronounced, the pace more frenetic. Amid the stress of managing responsibilities at work and home, I've found myself struggling to fully embrace the gifts of this season -- to pause long enough to notice the light shining in the darkness. Perhaps you know what I mean?
In reflecting on the hope and joy that mark this time of year, I'm reminded of why so many cultures and faith traditions hold sacred this brief but beautiful moment when light -- however small -- breaks through the shadows. The candles of the Menorah, the Advent Wreath, and the Kinara each carry unique meanings, yet they share the power to draw us together in community and to help us recognize the divine in our midst.
For my family, the nightly ritual of lighting the Advent candles at dinner -- and sometimes even at breakfast -- offers a quiet moment of peace. No matter how chaotic life feels, the simple act of bringing light into the darkness and preparing for Emmanuel, “God with us,” grounds me and reminds me of what this season is truly about.
As we prepare to pause for the holidays, may you also find moments of light, peace, and rest. May you carry that light with you, and may it sustain you in the coming year.
Warmest regards,
Michele
Michele C. Murray, Ph.D.
President, JASPA
Senior Vice President for Student Development and Mission
College of the Holy Cross
Student Affairs Summer Graduate Internships
at JASPA Institutions
The Pipeline Stewardship Committee seeks postings for summer internships available through JASPA and AJCU institutions to share with current graduate students at our campuses. Submit information about your institution’s summer internship opportunities here to be featured in upcoming communications.
Here is the link for the summer internship form: Student Affairs Internships at JAPSA Institutions
* Please enter one position per submission form. At the end of the form, you can cut and paste an internship description if you have one prepared.
Questions? Contact Erin Swezey (JASPA Vice President for Pipeline Stewardship, Seattle University) at swezey@seattleu.edu.
NJSLC 2025 @ Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University is excited to host the 2025 National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference (NJSLC)! We truly hope you will join us in the country’s heartland as we gather to live, learn, and lead together. The planning team is already at work creating a meaningful and engaging program, showcasing the best that SLU and the city have to offer. We can’t wait to meet you in St. Louis next year!

JASPA 2025 5-Year Institute:
Program Proposal Deadline Extended
The JASPA Institute Planning Committee is happy to share that we are extending the program proposal deadline for the 2025 Summer Institute until January 15, 2025. We hope that this extension will allow additional time for participants to complete their proposals and enjoy the holiday season and winter break.
Proposal link: https://loyola.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eG06XakN1bjTUjk
If you have any questions about program proposals, please reach out to Paul Irish (pirish@holycross.edu), Andrea Hoffman (amhoffman1@loyola.edu), or Matt Lamsma (lamsma@gonzaga.edu).
Online registration for the 2025 JASPA Five Year Institute at Loyola University New Orleans will launch in early January and end on April 15, 2025. Registration for on-campus housing during the Institute will launch at the same time.

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