University Students Tutor Local Refugee Children

In order to foster an ongoing commitment for the refugee populations in the Scranton area, student members of the University's Refugee Solidarity Committee initiated a tutoring program for children of local refugee families to help them learn and practice English language skills as well as assist with homework help.

The program coordinator, Nailah Harvey '18, recruited students from across the three schools and developed teaching aids for ESL instruction. The tutoring sessions take place at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Scranton. Transportation is a challenge for refugees new to the area, so the tutoring sessions take place after the weekly service many Congolese refugees attend at St. Paul.

We are grateful to partner with Pastor Scott Miller, as well as students from the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine who also serve as tutors. What a profound witness to the Ignatian ideal of becoming men and women for and with others.

As chair of the Refugee Solidarity Committee, I am proud of our students leading by example to build communities that move beyond fears in order to care for the refugee in our midst and respect the most abandoned of our neighbors.

Read more about the tutoring program here.