A Message from President Aceves

Dear Colleagues,

Our mission at Regis is “to build a more just and humane world through transformative education at the frontiers of faith, reason and culture.” One of the most important aspects of a student’s formative education is educating the whole person—mind, body, and soul. We have many enriching opportunities both locally and globally that support this effort. I asked Dr. Barbara Wilcots, vice president of Student Affairs, to share a reflection on how students can benefit from these experiences. 

“I am inspired by and grateful for the students who choose Regis because of a shared commitment to caring for others and ensuring a sustainable future for our common home. Regis offers a number of service opportunities for our students, ranging from delivering food to our homebound elders to improving sanitation and watershed restoration in Nicaragua.

En/Route, Romero House, and the Engaged Scholar-Activist Program immerse students in local experiential learning opportunities through the Center for Service Learning in Regis College. Among the many community partners with which our students volunteer are the Heart & Hand Center for Youth and their Families, Metro Caring and Reading Partners. Similarly, the Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions (RHCHP) embeds community-based experiential service learning into the heart of their curriculum.

In recent years, RHCHP students have served clients in homeless shelters, facilitated English classes for immigrant and refugee families, and promoted health literacy for underinsured populations. Additionally, students can take advantage of opportunities offered through the St. John Francis Regis University Service Society (RUSS), RegisCorps and the Alternative Spring Break Trips. Just a few examples: each year RUSS volunteers provide gifts and a holiday dinner to more than 4,000 Denverites who are experiencing homelessness; RegisCorps students volunteered for disaster relief in Puerto Rico and worked on water-related initiatives in Nicaragua; and students have led spring break trips to support non-profit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Global Brigades, and Homeboy Industries. A very popular service option is the annual Global Medical Brigades trip, with 277 students having participated over the years. In May, Regis counted its 10th year of participating in the international program that brings students and medical professionals together to work alongside local communities in Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Ghana to support sustainable health systems.

The Regis chapter of Global Medical Brigades has raised nearly $400,000 to serve communities with limited to no access to health care. Whether serving just down the street or across the globe, Regis students embody our Jesuit, Catholic mission to protect the most vulnerable among us and serve our poor and marginalized community members.

Regis asserts that one of the benefits of a Jesuit Catholic education is that our students analyze and reflect on the world’s problems, then partner with those at the margins of society to improve the human condition for all of us. It is inspiring to see our students lead and learn inside and outside of the classroom, growing as leaders committed to the common good.” 

Thank you, Barbara. Your reflection brings to life the dedication and achievements of our inspiring students. My gratitude extends to our faculty, staff, and community partners, who consistently offer valuable experiences for them to engage. As a Jesuit Catholic institution, we recognize our role in a global community of faith, called to celebrate and embody God's love. Regis educates a diverse student body for lives of service and meaning, providing them with the knowledge and skills to be discerning individuals in solidarity with others.

Kindly,

Salvador D. Aceves, Ed.D

President