My name is Catherine Bruno and I’m a proud graduate of the University of Scranton, class of 2018 as well as a former work-study in the History Department. I graduated from Scranton with a degree in International Studies and French. Nearing the end of my college career, I was faced with the classic college senior dilemma; what am I going to do after I graduate? As I enjoyed outings with friends, studied for exams, and did my rounds as a Freshman RA, I constantly thought about how I wanted my future to look. It was all I could think about for months! I applied for a number of different jobs and graduate programs, but the one I felt most called to was the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. I was drawn to JVC initially due to its wide array of volunteer locations and opportunities. JVs can serve for either one year domestically or two years internationally in one of five countries. Opportunities range from working as a high school teacher in Micronesia to a Refugee Resettlement Agent in Atlanta. The International Studies major in me leapt at the opportunity to live and work in another country for two whole years! Not only was JVC the best fit logistically, but its promotion of the Jesuit values I had come to learn and love at Scranton made me 100% certain that it was the right choice. After months of interviews and discerning, I was finally given my placement; an elementary school English teacher in a school called Fe y Alegria in Tacna, Peru. Having now been in Tacna for 10 months my job has expanded to include other duties at the school such as the director of both the pastoral team and the girl’s empowerment group. My most recent job includes working with the Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes which provides aid to the thousands of Venezuelans who have settled in Tacna as a result of instability in Venezuela. The lessons I’ve learned through my experiences so far have been invaluable and I’m looking forward to learning so much more in the year ahead.
Tacna community 2019. From left: Camila, Maggie, Faith, Cat.
Sunsets outside of my bedroom window.
4th graders showing off their market skills after finishing a unit on buying and selling!
Getting a little grungy on Mes de Mision in Estique Pueblo. January 2019.