SOCIAL JUSTICE AT IPS: Just the Facts!

     As the self-appointed “Grande Dame” of IPS, I thought I would give you some facts about the development of the Social Justice program at IPS.

• In the mid 1980’2 students used to beg us to offer courses in Justice and Ethics.  Everytime we did, we had to cancel the course due to low enrollment!
• Bill Droel, adjunct professor who teached Foundations of Social Justice, recently had his booklet What is Social Justice (ACTA Publications) cited in Sojourners magazine as “a must read (and must-distribute) for all Christians living the call to social justice.”
• Robert Ludwig developed the MA in Social Justice degree shortly after he became Director of IPS in July 2004.  He quickly (and quite brilliantly) tapped Mary Elsbernd as the Graduate Program Director of the new degree program.  Mary, and Franciscan from Dubuque, was a model of a person living social justice in the Church today.
• There were 7 students enrolled in the Summer 2005  MASJ program; currently, 59 students are enrolled in the MA Social Justice Community Development and dual degree programs.
• And don’t forget that IPS is one part of a bigger entity.  On June 15, USA Today, in conjunction with OnlineColleges, ran a feature on the 20 colleges most committed to community service. Coming in at number six on the list was Loyola University Chicago. The University was recognized as a President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll winner, earlier this year.