IJM’s fight for justice is strengthened immeasurably by the commitment of students around the world who advocate for and support the oppressed. Passionate students have founded more than 140 IJM Campus Chapters at colleges and universities from Texas to Uganda.

IJM Campus Chapters are student-led groups whose members work to bring the message of justice to their campuses. Members raise their voices in advocacy for the oppressed, educating their communities about injustice and how to respond to it. Many Chapters host a “Justice Week” event, during which they work to get their entire campus involved in issues of injustice. Justice Weeks can feature guest lectures, movie screenings, letter-writing campaigns, prayer vigils, fundraising events and other activities designed to engage the community.

Campus Chapters are also known for their creativity in raising funds to support IJM’s work. Several Campus Chapters have held “battle of the bands” events and 5k runs. Others have held art shows, displaying works relating to justice and raising money through admission fees. One Campus Chapter staged an “RBI-a-thon,” challenging members of the community to make a monetary pledge for each run batted in by the university’s baseball team throughout the season. Members of another Campus Chapter chained themselves to a flagpole in the center of campus and collected change from those who passed by the demonstration.

This year, Campus Chapters will join IJM in an exciting new initiative to bring justice to survivors of sexual violence in Guatemala. Campus Chapters will raise funds to send a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) educator to train doctors, nurses and lawyers in Guatemala on documenting proof of sexual assault in its aftermath. SANE programs in the U.S. have revolutionized medical professionals’ ability to bring justice to victims of abuse by training them to document assault compassionately and thoroughly. Too frequently, tribunals fail to return convictions in sexual assault cases in Guatemala because sufficient medical evidence has not been provided. The SANE trainings funded by Campus Chapters will give Guatemalan medical professionals powerful new tools to assist these victims and ensure that justice is done in their cases.

Cheryl Noble, who supports the Campus Chapters from IJM’s headquarters in Washington, DC, is excited about the promise held in these growing groups as they prepare to mobilize the SANE training in Guatemala and continue to educate their communities. “IJM sees students as an integral part of promoting justice, and this generation has demonstrated a passion for standing up for the oppressed. We really believe that they are leading the charge for change,” she explains. “I believe the world will be a much different place in 20 to 30 years because of the efforts of students like those involved in our Campus Chapters.”

If you are a student or an educator and are interested in starting or joining a Campus Chapter, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Cheryl Noble and her team will connect you with an existing Chapter or work with you to plan for the launch of your own Chapter.