Stephanie DeJesus, SGS, Awarded Prestigious Fellowship
The Minority Fellowship Program of the American Psychological Association (APA) has awarded Stephanie De Jesus a Services for Transition Age Youth (STAY) Fellowship for 2018.
According to the APA, this fellowship is “funded by a grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)” and is designed “to support the training of master’s level practitioners in mental health services” and “prepares them to provide mental health services to transition age youth (ages 16 through 25) and their families.”
De Jesus first learned about the fellowship from Professor Mark Kenney, MEd, NCC, LPC, program coordinator for the Clinical and Counseling Program at the Desales University campus who encouraged her to apply.
Over the next six months, De Jesus will be working with at-risk teens with addictions and co-occurring disorders at her internship, while she pursues additional training through the fellowship. She will attend the Psychology Summer Institute offered by APA in Washington, D.C, this summer, where she will receive additional substance abuse training and meet with other STAY Fellows. She will also have the opportunity to present a case study at the APA Annual Convention in San Francisco in August. De Jesus is passionate about working to improve the lives of minority youth in the community and is very grateful to have the support of this fellowship.
Celebrating Commuters
The week of April 9-13, marked this semester's commuter appreciation week. From Monday to Thursday, there was a different event each day, all dedicated to showing commuters how valued and appreciated they are as members of the campus community. Monday's free Panera breakfast, which has been a commuter tradition for years, continues to be a hit as the Commuter Lounge was constantly bustling with students who stopped in for free coffee and bagels on their way to class. On Tuesday, the focus was "rest and destress." There was a great turnout of commuter students who met in the lounge for coloring activities, free sunflower planting and snacks as a way to help unwind and destress. On Wednesday, the parking lot by the tennis courts once again played host to the Party in the Parking Lot. On one of the nicest days so far this spring, Andrew Conboy '18, commuter assistant, greeted commuters outside with free donuts, coffee, hot chocolate and more. The events closed out on Thursday with another favorite, the pizza party. Students gathered in the lounge for free pizza and video games, which is never a bad combination.
Loretta Brennan Glucksman Serves as Grand Marshal in NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade
Last month, CHC alum and chairwoman of the American Ireland Fund, Loretta Brennan Glucksman, served as grand marshal in the 257th St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City. Spanning over 1.4 miles and starting at the famed St. Patrick's Cathedral, it is the largest and oldest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world. Dignitaries such as Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, and New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, were among those who were part of the festivities. Glucksman, who rode alongside her grandson Liam, became just the fifth woman to lead the parade.
Survey Participants Needed
Next week, Father Mark Plauskin, who is completing a dissertation in public policy and administration at Walden University, will be conducting research into opiod use. "Working for a healthier, pain-free community, whether here at Chestnut Hill College or in the larger world, depends on having reliable information," Plauskin says.
Students who are at least 18 years of age are invited to participate in the anonymous, web-based survey via email from April 24-27. The goal of the survey is to help fill in the gaps regarding the knowledge and public perception that exists among young adults regarding opiod and pain-killer use. Participation is voluntary and no personal identification information will be collected. As a modest incentive, Plauskin will donate $2 per survey respondent to CHC's efforts to help the children at St. Joan of Arc in Kensington, as well as children who will be served as part of the African Sisters Education Collaborative trip to Kenya this summer. For more information visit www.resiliencynet.net.
Standing in Solidarity with Parkland
March 14 marked the one-month anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. In remembrance of that tragedy, Chestnut Hill College joined millions nationwide in participating in the National School Walk Out. At 10 a.m., faculty, staff and students gathered at the Peace Pole for 17 minutes in memory of the 17 lives lost that day. The names of all of the students were read followed by the ringing of a bell. Prayers were offered both for their souls and for our country to act swiftly to pass measures that will prevent future tragedies.
“Sadly, we live in a time when young people do not feel safe in our schools," Sister Carol Jean Vale, Ph.D., college president, said. "We are walking out for all people who have experienced gun violence, including systemic forms of gun violence ... We join in union with one another and millions across the country to raise our voices for a call to action that will help to stem the rising tide of these acts of senseless and heartrending violence.”
Traveling to Eritrea 
Students, faculty and staff had the opportunity to check off another nation on their virtual passports as senior Liz Legesse presented on her home country of Eritrea, a small nation located in North Africa. Legesse talked about growing up in Eritrea and what life was like. She also talked about the food, the clothing, the traditions such as the two-hour coffee ritual, the culture and so much more. At the end of the presentation, Legesse shared a traditional Eritrean bread with the audience. Legesse's presentation was part of Travels at Teatime, which was started by the Global Education Office. This semester, students from Chile, South Korea, China, Vietnam and now Eritrea, all gave presentations about their unique countries. There is one last event scheduled for the semester on April 17 as Mercy Thuranira '18, will be talking about her journey from Meru, Kenya, to Philadelphia.
