Immersion Trips

Serving Communities, Enriching Minds

Fairfield University’s Office of Campus Ministry strives to be a home for students of all faith traditions who are interested in exploring and enriching their spiritual lives and commitment to justice. Rooted in the Catholic faith and steeped in the Ignatian tradition, Campus Ministry is committed to the development of the whole person and believes that a healthy spiritual life is an essential key element of the Fairfield University experience. The Spring Break Domestic Immersion Program offers immersion opportunities around the United States for students, faculty, and staff to explore what it means to live a faith that does justice and to deepen their relationships with God through:

Sharing in the lives of those living in poverty through short-term service projects and living experiences
Reflecting critically on issues of faith and justice
Being exposed to the wonderful diversity of God’s creations through an encounter with those living in a culture different from their own
Offering their skills, resources, and gifts for the purpose of creating a more just and loving world
Building lifelong relationships with their peers and our program partners

Spring Break Trips

For more than 20 years, Fairfield University has provided students with opportunities to participate in both international and domestic immersion service trips, as well as short-term service and justice opportunities, that aim to help students understand and engage with environments different from their own.

Inspired by the desire to express solidarity—a core principle of Catholic teaching and a Christian virtue focused on social justice, the pursuit of equality, and the value of human dignity—these immersion experiences allow students to connect with international communities in need. The insights gained from these trips enrich their academic exploration and inform the theories they study in the classroom.

St. Oscar Romero Immersion Program | Belize

International Immersion
Named for Archbishop Oscar Romero, a patron saint of the Americas martyred for his unwavering pursuit of justice for the poor and marginalized, the International Immersion program aims to deepen students’ relationships with God, themselves, and others through sharing in the lives of those living in poverty through short-term service projects and living experiences, reflecting critically on issues of faith and justice, being exposed to the wonderful diversity of God's creations through an encounter with those living in a culture different from their own, and offering their skills, resources, and gifts for the purpose of creating a more just and loving world.

Email Julia Murphy for more information

Fairfield students during their St. Oscar Romero immersion trip.

Belize City & Punta Gorda Immersion | Belize

International Immersion
While in-country, Fairfield students will assist with parish and school-based programs and partner with Jesuit ministries in two distinct regions of Belize: Belize City, a vibrant urban center, and Punta Gorda, a rural town in the Toledo district. Students will engage with St. John’s College (a Jesuit high school and university), St. Martin de Porres Parish and School, and St. Peter Claver Parish. Through this immersive experience, students will explore justice issues related to poverty, social inequality, and cultural identity, while taking part in hands-on service that supports children, families, and underserved populations.

Read the Belize Immersion Trip recap story

Fairfield students during their immersion trip to Belize, standing in a group in front of a 'St. Claver Parish' mural.

U.S.-Mexican Border Immersion | San Diego

Domestic Immersion
This program explores the impact of living near the U.S./Mexico border and the challenges faced by families, farmers, businesses, and the Chicano community. Participate in community-driven initiatives, meet grassroots organizations, and join the border patrol on a tour to understand the realities and stereotypes of immigration in this critical area.

A group of students stands outdoors in front of a cultural mural in San Diego.

Eco-Justice Immersion | Guilford, CT

Short-Term Service & Justice Opportunity
Join Campus Ministry for a weekend at the Benincasa farm in Guilford, CT learning about eco-sustainable living, organic farming, farm-worker justice, and the intersection of spiritually and eco-justice.

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Fairfield students with wheelbarrows of raked leaves during an immersion trip focused on eco-sustainable living.

Ignatian Family Teach in for Justice | Washington, D.C.

Short-Term Service & Justice Opportunity
The Ignatian Family Teach In for Justice (IFTJ) is an annual gathering for members of the Ignatian family (Jesuit institutions and larger church) to gather in the context of social justice and solidarity to learn, reflect, pray, network, and advocate together. It is a place where people are empowered, re-energized, inspired, challenged, and supported by a community that sees faith and justice integrally linked. This year's gathering will be held from November 15–17, 2025.

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Fairfield students posing with a 'Go Set the World on Fire!' Campus Ministry banner at an annual Ignatian gathering.

IgnatianQ Conference

Short-Term Service & Justice Opportunity
Ignatian Q is a conference about creating community, developing spirituality, and affirming humanity for LGBTQ+ students at Jesuit schools.

Two retro cars are parked behind a sign that reads “Here, on April 4, 1968…”.

Racial Justice Immersion | Saint Louis and Memphis

Domestic Immersion
Fr. Augustus Tolton, born a slave near Hannibal, Missouri, became the first Black-identified Catholic priest in the U.S. Students will visit significant sites like his Baptism location, tomb, Lincoln's home and museum, Mark Twain's home, the Dred Scott trial site, Michael Brown's death site in Ferguson, and meet with current justice advocates.

In Memphis, the featured activities include the National Civil Rights Museum at the site of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination and a visit to St. Jude’s Hospital, both in the cradle of Rock and Soul.

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An exterior shot of a stone building with a cross.

Indigenous Culture, Spirituality and Ecology | Santa Fe, New Mexico

Domestic Immersion
This inspiring and transformational educational program offers local and visiting student and adult groups the opportunity to experience community-based, real-life learning. Hands-on learning, community dialogue, and volunteer service learning activities are offered in Santa Fe, New Mexico around the issues of Indigenous Spirituality, Catholic community, and ecological justice.

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A group of students stand on a hillside holding gardening tools.

Center for Working Families | Quito, Ecuador

International Immersion
While in-country, Fairfield students will partner with the Center for Working Families, a family-centered development program in Quito that provides education, vocational training, and life-skills development for working children and their families. Participants will engage in various programs and projects, including teaching, working in the workshop, dispensary, and soup kitchen, and helping build a house for a local family through the community-sponsored "minga" program.

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