"The ESJ Project definitely gave me the confidence to continue doing research. Now, I work at an NGO focused on community development in Cape Town, South Africa."
Gianna Maita
Education and Social Justice Project
In early 2010 two Georgetown University Centers—the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service—created the Education and Social Justice Project to engage students and build knowledge about the deep connections between global challenges of poverty and education. Only through better access to education will the world’s poor be able to seize opportunities in an increasingly global economy. While policy analysts have documented the widespread failure of governments to meet this imperative, we still know relatively little about successful local efforts led by religious communities to advance economic and social development through education.
The project provides several students with summer research fellowships to travel abroad for in-depth examinations of innovative initiatives, with a focus on the work of Jesuit secondary and post-secondary institutions. Under faculty supervision, the students gather information through interviews, analyze best practices, and share their reports and conclusions with a wider global audience. Student researchers have investigated institutions in diverse settings ranging from Cambodia and the Philippines to Burkina Faso and Canada.
The Education and Social Justice Project is administered by Ryann Craig of the Berkley Center. Andria Wisler, director of Georgetown's Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching, and Service, and Katherine Marshall of the Berkley Center serve as academic advisors. It was created with an initial gift from Rodney Jacob and has continued through the generous support of other donors.
Project Leaders
Director of Student Programs
Executive Director, Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service
Project Impact
Education and Social Justice Project Testimonials Slider
"The ESJ Project allowed me to see those broader Jesuit connections and really hit home to the point that I returned to campus and decided to go through the Catholic confirmation process."
Brittany Fried
"It is hard to emphasize enough how much the experience impacted me. I came into Georgetown not knowing that I cared about research, yet ESJ helped me discover this passion for research to effect social change."
Adam Barton
"I think my ESJ experience was without a doubt, an experience of personal growth, challenge, and perspective-building."
Jonathan Thrall
"After the ESJ Project, I am very excited to write my sociology thesis. As taxing as interviews can be, I am excited to do my thesis because I know how to write a research paper. I know that I can do it."
Mackenzie Price
"It is rewarding to look back at this as my first serious independent research work, as I am now starting a qualitative dissertation proposal for a doctoral program in educational leadership at the University of Pennsylvania."
Brian Dillon
"I am currently a doctoral student in sociology at UCLA. ESJ was a formative step in my journey towards a career as a social scientist and prepared me to produce the quality of research expected at a top department."
Nicholas DiRago
Education and Social Justice Project Subprojects Slider
Interviews
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Events
Feb
21
21
2018
Featured - 2017 Education and Social Justice Project Presentations
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EST Berkley Center
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