Building Together

Update 2020 | Vol 38
Building Together

 

Viola Poletes Montgomery
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Building Together
A Message from our Director, Advancement and Donor Relations, Viola Poletes-Montgomery
 
Community – it is a word that describes people associated with St. Jerome’s University. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, friends. Whatever your connection, you are part of a group of people forever linked by a place that has meaning to all of us.
 
When COVID-19 restrictions were imposed in mid-March, students had to immediately leave on-campus residences or rented apartments and return home for what was then an unknown period of time. In the short-run, many students had nowhere to go. Others struggled with going home, where a parent may have lost a job.

Through this period of struggle for so many of our students, the St. Jerome’s community has been there to help. When we asked for our community’s support of the COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund last May, you responded generously. Within two weeks, we raised more than $80,000! Many of you sent me messages, sharing “It’s not much but, I want to help the students,” and asked out of genuine concern how the students are doing

The fact is, students are struggling. It was one thing to have to finish the last academic year online in April 2020, but no one thought it would continue into September. Now the news that the entire 2020-2021 academic year will be online has been hard to deal with. Another year of not seeing friends, roommates, and professors, having a part time job to help make ends meet, or even having a last Green and Gold Gala after four years of being together. No graduation ceremony. No goodbye to an important and pivotal life chapter.

For many of our students the result of this prolonged isolation has impacted their mental wellness. Our Students Affairs staff talk about their interactions with students, who have feelings of despair and despondency; worries about how they will afford university; or fear that they will never see friends again in person. In short, they see uncertainty all around them, and they are worried about life.

Students need our SJU community more than ever. I ask that you consider making a donation to support our important mission to our students here at St. Jerome’s University. Our future leaders of social justice, innovation, and research, need your help now. Any amount will have a significant impact at this critical moment in their education and their lives.

 

Thank you Donors
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