It’s been a busy couple of weeks as our students have been responding to a proposal from North End politicians designed to limit how many of them can rent a home together, along with many negative comments about the kind of neighbors and the kind of people they are.
They have responded in a number of adult ways—primarily by registering to vote and making plans to ensure their voices are heard at the polls on November 5. As of this morning, they had 603 new registrations as part of their student-led PioneerVote program.
The students are no longer willing to take these kind of assertions lying down. They have been quick to point out the contributions they make to Bridgeport. Our students spend over $99,000,000 in the state each year, and visitors to the University spent another $1.6 million. Much of that took place in Bridgeport. Our students grocery shop, buy gas, dine out, shop for clothes, visit hair and nail salons and, yes, pay rent in Bridgeport. Their families also take them to dinner, take them shopping and stay in area hotels when they visit them here.
Our students also contribute more than 100,000 hours of community service each year and, again, most of that happens in Bridgeport. This includes serving food at the Merton Center every day, cleaning up various parks and shoreline areas, mentoring, tutoring and reading to Bridgeport students, doing arts and crafts with disabled seniors, conducting consulting projects for nonprofits and much more. Just this past weekend, a large contingent of young women from Delta Zeta sorority did a major cleanup at Seaside Park. Last week, students raised funds for Habitat for Humanity for housing in Bridgeport, and another group participated in a read aloud day.
In the wake of the news coming out of the North End, some have questioned why they give so much to a city that has so little use for them, while others are determined to continue to serve because, they say, “this is who we are at SHU.” I empathize with both positions.
One thing they have definitely decided to do is conduct their annual turkey and food drive for needy Bridgeport families. Their goal is to raise more than $12,000 for 700 turkeys while collecting food donations for all the fixings to complete that meal. They then will load the trucks and deliver the food to St. Charles Church where they will hand out the meals to grateful residents. This year, they are challenging the North End representatives to conduct a similar drive and match them turkey for turkey. They also want to see a match of volunteer hour for volunteer hour. Let’s see exactly who is working to make Bridgeport a better place.
The University and its students will continue to work with residents and the city to find solutions. But we hope residents will recognize the very real contribution that our students make. Most of them choose Sacred Heart because of its vision for social justice and mission to prepare them to make a difference in the global community. Each summer, a large group of freshmen spend a week immersed in Bridgeport learning the customs and traditions of its various residents, touring the neighborhoods and volunteering in a variety of programs—all before they have even attended a class. Our students are vital members of the community. If they continue to feel disrespected by the leadership in Bridgeport, some may decide to take their philanthropy and their dollars elsewhere—and leave it to their critics to fill the void.