Reflections Magazine Issue #76 - Spring 2012 | Page 2

Column

from the president

Making Siena Heights a
“Home Away From Home”
Students—and many of our graduates—
often refer to Siena Heights University as their
“home away from home.” And we try to be
exactly that for them in so many ways.
But what about those students who arrive
at Siena Heights on a one-way ticket? For them,
Siena Heights is their home.
Are you surprised we have homeless students
here at SHU? We do. It’s not something we
advertise or want to promote, however, we certainly want to call attention to their situation.
In fact, this issue of Reflections reveals the
challenges of a few of our homeless students,
from their day-to-day struggles to the long-term
trials they often face. We not only nurture their
physical, emotional and educational needs,
but their spiritual as well.

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Reflections Spring ’12

And, just as important, we also want to highlight the sometimes-herculean efforts of our
faculty, staff and administration to help these
students succeed.
At Siena Heights, we take a proactive
approach to homelessness on a variety of levels.
We host an annual homeless conference each
year that discusses these issues and helps connect
community resources with these needy individuals. SHU faculty member Sister Pat Schnapp
and Tom Puszczewicz of SHU Campus Ministry continue to head Siena’s participation in the
Salvation Army’s Share the Warmth program
that helps house and feed the homeless in
Lenawee County.
Also, Beth McCullough, one of our outstanding graduates, is meeting the local homeless
challenge head-on. Her work as the homeless
liaison for Adrian Public Schools aids homeless
high school students in achieving their college
goals. You can read about her story in greater
detail in this issue.
However, the work we do with our own
homeless student population touches me on a
very personal level. As a trained social worker,
my heart is with these students, many of whom
come to us with nowhere else to go. I tear up
every time I think of these students. Every fiber
of my being wants to reach out and embrace
them, and tell them someone cares.
I firmly believe God brings these students
to us. We are called to help in any way we can.
Our uniquely Catholic and Dominican heritage
demands it. Siena Heights represents a “birthplace” for them, a chance at a new life with new
possibilities and opportunities. Some do not
have the option of looking back; all that remains
is what is ahead. I have learned a great deal from
these students. They teach me what is really important in life, how much I take for granted and
how much we need to be family to one another.

With the new McLaughlin University Center on the way in fall 2013 and other numerous
improvements and additions to our campus facilities, we are mindful of making Siena Heights
the best home we can for our students, especially
those who are homeless. And the addition of
new areas such as multicultural student services,
restorative justice and mission effectiveness reinforces the already outstanding student support
infrastructure already in place at Siena Heights.
Despite bringing overwhelming odds to
Siena Heights, our homeless students are having
remarkable success. They are not only graduating, they are excelling. Many have gone on to
impact our world in surprising and wonderful
ways. In fact, this May another group will leave
their Siena Heights “birthplace” to find their
new “home.”
To me, this is the ultimate evidence that
Siena Heights University is indeed “Opportunity U.”

Sister Peg Albert, OP, PhD
President