Fordham University’s Initiative on Migrants, Migration and Human Dignity was recently featured in the journal Best Practices in Jesuit Higher Education for its pioneering model of engaged learning, which centers on building a committed relationship between faculty and students and migration justice.
In the article titled “Accompaniment as Institutional Practice: A Transdisciplinary Initiative Bridging Fordham University and the US-Mexico Border,” Fordham faculty authors reflect on the power of accompaniment: a commitment to standing with and learning from migrant communities through shared humanity, sustained relationships, and deep listening. As the authors write, accompaniment “includes acknowledgment of every person’s full humanity, a willingness to witness one another’s struggles and hopes… and a commitment to share in each other’s journeys” (p. 8).
At the heart of this work are the Initiative’s border immersion trips. Since 2019, these faculty-led retreats to the US-Mexico border have brought together colleagues from across disciplines to witness the human realities of migration, often leading to cross-campus collaborations that promote a new way of learning. One faculty member shared, “The immersion trips are central to our work, offering a unique sense of community distinct from other university spaces… this work is energizing and generative, and not simply another burdensome obligation” (p. 9).
The Initiative’s efforts extend well beyond the border. With community partnerships in New York City and ongoing collaboration with organizations like the Kino Border Initiative and LSA Family Health Service, the Initiative supports internships, research, and public programming rooted in non-extractive, mutually beneficial relationships. These partnerships have already led to tangible outcomes: over 20 student internships, eight migration-centered courses, and publications like Mutuality in El Barrio, a collaborative book amplifying the voices of immigrant families in East Harlem (p. 13).
Student and faculty reflections underscore the personal impact of this work. One student noted how her summer research reshaped her understanding of migration and belonging in urban spaces: “Migration justice is not limited to the border… Why are so many left on the periphery, spatially and socially?” (p. 14). Another reflected on how an internship shifted his focus from medicine to policy, as the work made “migration more human” and reframed advocacy as deeply urgent (p. 14).
Looking forward, the Initiative plans to offer a centralized space for collaboration between researchers, students, and migrant-serving organizations. The Initiative’s goal is to embed accompaniment into the university’s teaching practices as fulfillment of Fordham’s mission—promoting intellect not only in the classroom—but through public service, collaboration and empathy. By doing so, Fordham aims to serve as a national model for Jesuit institutions in migration justice (p. 13).
In an era where dehumanization and division too often define our public discourse, Fordham’s Initiative reminds us that higher education can be a site of hope and a platform for justice. As the article concludes, the most transformative change begins not with policy, but with people: “Creating experiences that lead to enriching relationships can be the foundation upon which we build change” (p. 17).