Dear SCS Community,
Many among us are carrying profound grief and pain because of the events in Israel and Palestine. Some are holding onto their experiences invisibly, while others are expressing themselves more publicly. Each of us has spent the recent weeks listening and becoming more aware of how this crisis is affecting all aspects of the SCS community.
The intention of this message is to communicate that we are here and ready to continue listening. Some are feeling insecure and unsafe, while others are uncertain about how to navigate the reality of this global conflict in classrooms, workspaces, and community life. Regardless of what you’re feeling and carrying, we want you to know that we at SCS want to help accompany you.
At Georgetown, our mission and values give us an orientation and a way of proceeding. In times of global conflict, we can seek out these resources, as President DeGioia reflected, and commit ourselves to seeking “greater understanding, greater care of one another, greater connection to one another.” At a time like this, “cura personalis” (or care of the whole person) means paying special attention to the individualized needs of the people who make up our learning community.
Resources at the University are available to help you navigate the path ahead. In addition to professional counseling services (for faculty and staff, please consult the Faculty & Staff Assistance Program; for students, please consult Counseling and Psychiatric Services) and pastoral care resources (please consult Campus Ministry chaplains and staff), we are here to listen. Please contact Dean Kelly Otter, SCS Associate Director for Mission Integration Jamie Kralovec, SCS Senior Advisor for Spiritual Care Rabbi Rachel Gartner, or Director for Muslim Life Imam Yahya Hendi if you would like to give voice to your experience and help us listen more deeply to the needs of the community at this time.
Sincerely,
Kelly J. Otter, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Continuing Studies
Jamie Kralovec
Associate Director for Mission Integration, School of Continuing Studies
Rabbi Rachel Gartner
Senior Advisor for Spiritual Care, School of Continuing Studies
Imam Yahya Hendi
Director of Muslim Life, Georgetown University