Immersion FAQs

All full-time, regular faculty and staff on the Westchester, Playa Vista, and Law School campuses are welcome and encouraged to apply. No deposit or application fee is required.

Once the application period closes, the selection committee reads each application, including the written responses, with the goal of building a diverse, well-balanced group reflective of the broader LMU community (considerations may include affiliation [faculty and staff], division/unit, length of time at LMU, past mission engagement, and so on). 

Applicants who have not been selected in previous years are encouraged to apply each year they are interested! Applications for these trips always exceed our capacity, but we are working to expand our offerings. If you'd like to be the first to hear about upcoming trips and receive word when applications open, please join our mailing list.

Our itinerary will be developed in collaboration with our in-country partner, Augsburg University's Center for Global Education and Experience. The program is likely to include site visits; conversations with local community leaders, activists, and experts; opportunities to encounter local wildlife, geography, arts, and culture; and guided reflection facilitated by trip leaders.

This immersion program does not include volunteer service or other activities that are sometimes included under the category of "mission trips." The LMU Faculty/Staff Immersion program's emphasis is on education, accompaniment, solidarity, and global citizenship. Participants will be invited to listen, learn, and reflect on their responses to what they have experienced.

Once accepted, immersion participants must attend the following:

• A one-on-one intake meeting with the program director;
• Three weekday, daytime preparatory group meetings of 90 minutes during the spring semester;
• One evening dinner with the full immersion group in the weeks immediately prior to departure;
• The full program itinerary, from designated arrival through closing. Late arrivals or early departures cannot be accommodated.

(Precise dates and times for pre-trip meetings will be determined by group availability once the roster is finalized.)

In addition, participants will be asked to reflect and take back what they've learned to the campus community. Post-trip deliverables include a brief personal reflection and a report on how participants intend to apply their insights on campus. 

Full details are in the Participant Requirements and Expectations document here.

Program costs in-country during the designated program dates are fully sponsored by the Office of Mission Engagement, including lodging in single accommodations with private bath, three meals a day, entry and program fees, local transportation, translation and facilitation, insurance and emergency assistance coverage, and so on. Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements for arrival and departure at the program site, and airfare is reimbursable (amount of allowable reimbursement is set each year to accommodate average nonstop, economy airfare between Los Angeles and the program destination).

If applicable, the following costs are not included and must be paid out of pocket: Passport or visa processing fees; personal items, snacks, or souvenirs; additional nights of lodging before or after the itinerary dates; any travel costs in excess of the travel allowance.

No, participants do not need to possess any specific language proficiency other than English.  Translation and interpretation services are always provided for program activities.

A primary goal of the immersion is to encounter communities and ways of life that are outside our day to day contexts. Participants are encouraged to enter into the experience with an attitude of simplicity, openness, and willingness to venture "outside their comfort zone." 

In keeping with this principle, travel, food, and lodging will be simple and modest, though safe and comfortable. All participants will be housed in single accommodations with private bathrooms; air conditioning may or may not be available. Travel will be by private chartered van and bus. Meals may be shared in a variety of contexts, including restaurants, vendors, and host-prepared meals. 

A suggested packing list, pre-departure checklist, and itinerary will be shared with participants prior to departure, and facilitators are available to address specific questions or needs. If you have a physical, dietary, medical, or other need that you think may affect your participation, please contact Kat Brown before the application deadline to discuss your specific circumstances.

No problem - ask away! Contact Kat Brown, Director of Mission and Identity Programs, at katherine.brown@lmu.edu.