Refugee and Immigrant Accompaniment

Site Work Details

Students in the Immigrant and Refugee Accompaniment Cohort will work with organizations and ministries in their local communities that provide support for and stand in solidarity with migrants.

This work may take a variety of forms, including initiatives that address the immediate material needs of refugee and immigrant communities; support communities through programs or events (such as after-school programs or cultural celebrations); or affirm immigrants and refugees in exercising their rights through political or social advocacy.

Students may undertake this work in a variety of organizational settings: nonprofit or civic organizations, faith-based organizations or ministries, refugee resettlement programs or service providers, or social movements led by or focused on immigration justice, among others.

Faculty

D.W. and Ruth Brooks Professor of World Christianity; Director of World Christianity Program Jehu Hanciles will be the faculty co-leader of the spring integrative seminar for students in the Immigrant and Refugee Accompaniment Cohort.

Teaching and Site Supervisor

Rev. Stanley Ramos 17T, MSW/MDiv, received his Master of Social Work from the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago, and his Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 2017.

He is a full-time faculty member at the University of Central Florida School of Social Work where he focuses on teaching courses in the areas of Cultural Competence, Social Work Practice, and Macro Social Work Intervention. He has also served on the faculties of Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago and Georgia State University in Atlanta and in the Dean’s Administration at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice.

Rev. Stanley an ordained minister with the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) and is the founding pastor for Alabanza MCC, a safe worship gathering for the LGBTQ community of Central Florida. He has worked as a social worker in both Chicago and Orlando. He specializes in street gang intervention, Solution Focus Family and Individual Therapy, and the support and practice of therapy with Queer persons.  He holds post graduate certificates from the North Park University School of Non-profit Management.

Student Requirements

Cohort Meetings

Over the course of the year, students in this cohort will engage in contextual, theological, and personal reflection on their social justice, advocacy, and movement building work. They will gain a deeper understanding of historical and theological foundations for justice, advocacy and movement building, local and global dynamics that impact social movements, skills and practices for faith-rooted organizing, and the role faith communities play in responding to the social and political challenges of our time.

• Participation in this cohort also includes a fall semester reflection group and a spring semester integrative seminar.