Celina Ramos El Salvador Scholarship Fund

I travelled to El Salvador with my family for the first time in 2016 and visited again in 2020. I still remember the places that we visited and the friends that we met – Mass in the National Cathedral where St. Oscar Romero is buried, the site of the four churchwomen, and visiting the University where the Jesuits along with Elba and Celina Ramos lived and died. I remember the families that we met, the food, the beautiful countryside, and the beach. I remember both the beauty of the country and its people, as well as its many challenges.

On November 16, we commemorate the 34th anniversary of the deaths of the martyrs of the UCA (the Jesuit University in San Salvador, El Salvador). We honor their commitment to the poor and suffering and in so doing gave their lives to care for and protect those who were being repressed.

In addition to the six Jesuit priests that were killed, their housekeeper (Elba) and her sixteen-year-old daughter (Celina) were killed in the attack on the campus of the University. It is especially through the deaths of Elba and Celina that we recall all the innocent victims who are too often caught up in violence.

Upon returning from El Salvador the second time, I knew that I wanted to do something impactful even if it was small. After talking about it with my family last year, I decided to start a scholarship fund for rural Salvadorans to attend the UCA. I wanted to name it after Celina, who at 16 died at the same age as I am now. I wanted to provide opportunities for young people in El Salvador, in the name of Celina, to improve their lives through Jesuit education. In my third year at Scranton Prep and as I begin the process of applying to Jesuit universities, I am already feeling the impact of Jesuit education in my life and hope that it will shape my future and the person that I become. I hope that I can help provide this opportunity for others.

After starting the scholarship last spring through donations by my family and friends, we were able to provide our first scholarship to a Salvadoran woman attending University. In an effort to continue the scholarship and begin raising awareness here and in El Salvador, it is my goal to raise $1,600 beginning today, the anniversary of the UCA martyrs, and ending on my birthday on November 29.

While scholarships will not be strictly limited to the UCA, the goal is to provide Jesuit education to those who could not otherwise afford it. At approximately $150 tuition per month and the same in room and board, a small donation will certainly go a long way. I would greatly appreciate any contribution you can make if you are able.

Thank you for your help with this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Mira Sheehan