Students in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) had a transformational opportunity to travel to the renowned Loyola Rome campus for a topical study abroad program in June. Many say they walked away from the immersive educational and cultural experience “forever changed” – and with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by marginalized people locally and globally, not just today but throughout history. 

The first-of-its-kind SCPS program was offered through a hybrid elective, Human Values in Literature: Immigrants, Migrants, and Refugees, that included six weeks of online learning and a 10-day experience in Italy. The students stayed at Loyola Rome, located in the Monte Mario district, while attending classes and discussions and visiting sites relevant to the immigrant theme. 

Fourteen students took part, along with three guests enrolled as non-degree-seeking participants. They initially had different motivations for being there – from fulfilling academic requirements to the desire to travel. But many say they benefited and grew in ways they could never have imagined. 

“A lot of us went for the thrill of Rome but left with a changed perspective about complex concepts like belonging and displacement, and a motivation to keep learning, exploring, and helping,” says Iza Flores, who participated before graduating from the SCPS Institute for Paralegal Studies in July. 

Study abroad programs generally do not target non-traditional adult learners, many of whom attend school part time while balancing other responsibilities. In fact, SCPS had not offered such an opportunity for several years. 

When Jim Parenti became dean in 2024, he pledged to revive study abroad. “It’s important to have this option for our students,” he says. “Extending learning beyond a classroom – especially in a world-class institution in the heart of Italy – is valuable no matter what degree you are seeking.” 

Parenti enlisted Jeanne Widen, former interim dean of SCPS and new director of Loyola Rome, who designed a syllabus that explored the theme “through the lens of American and Italian literature, featuring voices from a rich tapestry of cultural and ethnic backgrounds.” (She also created a syllabus for master’s students, with more robust research and assignments related to their studies.) 

“The topic is relevant to today’s world and consistent with Loyola and SCPS values, and it offers opportunities for Roman site visits that bring readings and discussions to life,” says Widen, who moved to Italy to start as director a month before the SCPS students arrived. 

Widen also taught the course and led the study abroad component. She says settling into a new country and new job while teaching and showing students around Rome was a lot to juggle. But she has no regrets, because it was rewarding to see the impact on students. 

The powerful site visits included international Catholic humanitarian organization Jesuit Refugee Services and safe-haven day program Joel Nafuma Refugee Center, where students learned about harrowing journeys of asylum seekers and displaced people. 

“One of the especially difficult experiences we learned about was how the women had been victims of rape and sex trafficking while trying to get to Rome. Their futures are still unknown, but there’s hope and inspiration thanks to their strong spirits and support from these organizations,” Widen says. 

Adding to the richness of the Loyola Rome experience were tours of iconic sites such as the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica, and even the opportunity for an audience with Pope Leo XIV, where students presented a White Sox shirt to the Chicago-born pope. 

The students, ranging from age 22 to 63, came from a variety of backgrounds, careers, and degree programs. Despite their differences, they agree that the experience impacted their future goals and desire to make a difference. 

Chicago Fire Department paramedic Kellie Newcomer, SCPS student working toward a bachelor’s in applied psychology, says hearing the perspective of immigrants and refugees makes her a more empathetic first responder. “It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the evil and hatred in our world and the ways we have grown apart as a society. But classes like this remind us we’re all human and deserve a healthy and beautiful life.” 

Flores, a paralegal with the Office of the State Appellate Defender, who plans to attend law school, also says she has noticed changes in the way she approaches her job. “I have a broader perspective on how law and policies shape lives, which will help me view situations through a lens of compassion. There’s a human story behind each case.” 

Flores was born in Mexico and moved to Chicago at three. Now 22, she relates to feeling caught between two worlds. “It’s easy to think immigration is a political issue. But it’s a deeply human experience that affects everyone. Every day you walk alongside people who are from a different place,” she says.

Sheri Smith, who lives in Georgia and is working toward a bachelor’s in management, says she appreciated the chance to get offline and learn in person with “people who experience similar challenges, like working and parenting while in school.” 

The students “bonded in a way that is not possible in a typical classroom setting,” according to Flores. “We became like family.” There’s already talk of a 2027 reunion in Chicago during Loyola graduation. 

Due to the success of the summer 2026 program and the extensive positive student feedback, SCPS is now planning future Rome-based study abroad opportunities. 

Smith says she’s grateful to the school for providing the option and to Widen for thoughtfully planning and leading 10 “eye-opening, life-changing” days in Rome. She says that months later, she’s still reflecting on how the experience was grounded in the Ignatian mission of "being other‑regarding — becoming people for others," especially those who are marginalized. 

Newcomer agrees: “This class gave us tools to better understand what it means to be part of a Jesuit community like Loyola University.” 

By: Jenny Kustra-Quinn
September, 2026