In June, Jill Welsh was appointed director of the Faith-Justice Institute. Welsh has been involved with the Faith-Justice Institute since 2003 and was the associate director of the institute before her promotion to director. The Hawk sat down with Welsh to learn more about her and her role in the Faith-Justice Institute.
The Hawk: How do you feel about your position as the director of the Faith-Justice Institute?
Welsh: I’m thrilled to be able to not only be in this position, but to continue to work with such fantastic student employees, my colleague Danielle Critelli, our faculty [and] the departments that support us. What I love the most about being the director is hoping to instill some of the visions this community has for moving forward in a way that promotes an inclusive campus.
The Hawk: What does your position involve?
Welsh: Right now, I’m doing a little bit of everything. I’m working with the classes and the faculty and I still have the opportunity to work directly with our service scholars. And that’s one of our two student communities who go into the classroom and lead service and social justice. I have the opportunity to work closely with the students [and] still do the infrastructure piece. So it’s really the best of both worlds.
The Hawk: What are your plans as the director of the Faith-Justice Institute?
Welsh: This year, we’re in the position to really take a look at what’s happening on campus and respond to that with some of our opportunities. Most specifically, the Klein Lecture Series allows us to really create opportunities for inclusive faith and justice practices in various mediums. So, what I think I’m the most excited about is really looking for new opportunities to engage the various campuses and different communities.
The Hawk: How does this position compare to other positions you’ve held in the past?
Welsh: I started out as the administrative assistant in 2003. I was coming right off of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps; I did a Jesuit Volunteer Corps year. So it’s quite interesting to think about the fact that the students I’m working with now were born when I started. But there’s a reason why I keep coming back, and it’s the mission. And the people. And our community partners are incredible. They enrich the education of our students and enrich the experience of our faculty and staff. We’re just grateful because without those community partners, committed students, faculty and staff, this mission wouldn’t be as vibrant.
The Hawk: What has been your favorite part of your new position?
Welsh: Just seeing every day the support we get from the greater faith justice community. So while not directly task related, it’s the reminder every day that we have good people supporting us and supporting this mission. We have a lot of fun, too. We do hard work, but we enjoy each other’s company.
The Hawk: What are some of your interests, hobbies, or passions?
Welsh: I’m married to a former Hawk, and we have two little girls. For now, most of my free time is dedicated to them. But I’m also really seeking out ways to bring this value of inclusion to the community I live in, and really trying to expand the dialogue in some of the communities I’m in outside of this, so that it doesn’t feel like I’m separating the work life and personal life.
