Reflections Magazine Issue #76 - Spring 2012 | Page 15

Feature Article

By Doug Goodnough

Editor’s Note: Because of the sensitivity of the issue
and privacy concerns, the names of the students who
were interviewed for this feature have been changed.

Siena Heights University ends its mission statement with the phrase,

“. . . respects the dignity of all.”

T

hat’s a bold statement to make. But Siena Heights has a
history of educating students of all backgrounds, traditional
and non-traditional alike.
However, there is another, almost invisible, group that also
must be educated. It’s those students without a place to
call home. Maybe they are victims of circumstances, a bad
family experience, or just abject poverty. Society often shows
little mercy on these students, leaving them to fend for themselves, bouncing from house to house, place to place, with
little or no hope of escaping their fate. And the cruel irony is
they don’t want to be seen, don’t want to be heard. In fact,
many are embarrassed to even ask for help, often victims
of their own fierce pride.
Enter the safe haven of Siena Heights. We sometimes serve
as the Ellis Island of higher education for these students. If the
United States of America is the Land of Opportunity, Siena
Heights is the University of Opportunity. These students come
to our doorstep, sometimes unwittingly, looking for a break.
A chance. And through some creative financial aid, compassionate faculty and staff and leaning on the words of the
mission, Siena Heights casts its safety net to these homeless
students, reeling them into the safe, nurturing environment
that only a small, personalized community can provide.
These students all have their own stories to tell. Reflections
interviewed some of them to provide a cross-section of what
these student experience on campus. And we also highlight
what Siena Heights does—many times behind the scenes—
to help these students, both on and off campus.
Siena Heights University is truly “Opportunity U.”

Reflections Spring ’12

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