Switching to life online didn’t mean abandoning the local high school students they were serving.
Siena’s San Damiano Refugee Partnership (SDRP) works with young refugees, primarily from Southeast Asia, who attend Bishop Maginn High School in downtown Albany. Their families are very recent arrivals in America, and before COVID-19 the Siena students used to go to the school near the Empire State Plaza once or twice a week to share a meal, help them with their homework or language skills, and just hang out, socialize and enjoy time with each other. When schools shut down, SDRP stepped it up.
Paul MacFarlane ’20 is the group’s president, and he didn’t think the fun had to end just because the team couldn’t be there in person. The whole operation went online via Facebook and Zoom, and the students – whether they wear Saints green and gold or the Griffins’ blue and white – are still making connections.
“We wanted to keep having a presence in their lives, and to keep their spirits light because times are hard right now,” said MacFarlane. “Every student we’re helping has been assigned a mentor. This about partnership and friendship, not charity. We’re grateful that we can still see each other.”
He said games like Pictionary and Scattergories are played online, and Macfarlane even organized a TikTok competition. The winning student will receive an Amazon gift card; for every entry Macfarlane is making a $5 donation to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York.
SDRP was founded ten years ago as the Writing Partnership by John Harden, Ph.D., who is now a teacher and director of student success at Bishop Maginn.
“The whole partnership is focused on literacy and leadership,” said Harden. “It’s a very empowering dynamic for our students, when they are able to see in the Siena students where they want to be.”
The partnership is having a positive impact as well on the Siena student volunteers.
“Through this club, I have had the privilege to connect with and learn from some of the most incredible students I have ever met in my life,” said Medha Palnati ’21. “My partner, NiLar Way, is an icon. She is so incredibly genuine, selfless, and kind hearted. She possesses incredible intelligence and the drive to match it. Nothing makes me happier than when she smiles, and nothing makes me more proud than when she succeeds.”
Palnati said that NiLar, along with many of the other Bishop Maginn students, grew up in a refugee camp in Thailand, and came to the United States when she was very young.
“These students have an incredible resilience, and all they need is someone to recognize their potential to succeed and encourage them to keep going when life gets tough.”
Now, as the COVID19 pandemic has forced all Siena and Bishop Maginn students away from their respective schools, they have been given the opportunity to innovate as they connect from afar – both academically and emotionally.
“These meetings are the highlight of my week; I firmly believe that now, more than ever, is when these kids need our support. It is easy to feel socially isolated during this time, and some of the students we work with can easily fall into patterns of feeling alone and unsupported. It is tough to be apart, but for now, seeing everyone’s smiling face during Zoom is beautiful enough.
Katherine Arsenault ’21 began working with the SDRP two years ago.
“I have always felt called to be a teacher as I believe education is a tool for empowerment. Through this organization, I have worked with several resilient students. During each weekly session, we share a meal, engage through homework help, and build community through fun activities/games. Being a part of this club has truly been a highlight of my Siena experience.”
Nora Kipp ’21 joined as a freshman to gain experience helping non-native English speaking students improve their English skills—a profession she is interested in pursuing.
“Over the last two years, the connections I’ve formed with the brilliant-minded students at Bishop Maginn have become unbreakable. Each session, I learn many valuable lessons that continue to teach me that every learner is unique and benefits from individualized instruction. I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such a driven and compassionate group of Saints who also value the impact we have on the students.”
SDRP’s Siena faculty advisor is Jennifer McErlean, Ph.D., professor of philosophy.
“Even the coronavirus cannot keep these students down! Using Facebook and Zoom to connect one-on-one and as a lively group, immigrant students improved their online skills, grew closer to their mentors, played games, and felt a deep sense of community. I am grateful to be part of a college where club leaders value the health and happiness of others rather than sinking into self-interest. Illness, death and trauma are not new for these refugees, and realizing this, our Siena Saints worked hard to provide support and friendship.”