Reflections Magazine Issue #76 - Spring 2012 | Page 19

Feature Article

Somehow we catch them in this
wonderful safety net of love and bring
them in so at least here, they’re safe.
It’s what we are as an institution.
— Trudy

She certainly tried. A kitchen was installed
in the residence halls to allow students to prepare their own meals. And McSorley often
negotiated with the university’s food service to
scrounge whatever food she could get.
When Sister Peg Albert was named SHU
President in 2006, McSorley soon found another ally. In fact, McSorley quickly wore a path to
the president’s office when she found a student
in need. And the answer, not surprisingly, was
always “yes.”
“You network with faculty, you network
with students. You find out that way and you
try to provide for what their need is,” she said.
“We need to be there for them so we know what
they are going through and they are going to be
supported and sustained. If we aren‘t doing what
we say that we do, that building of community,
that‘s how you find out.”
McSorley said the Siena Heights “safety
net” is cast beyond just the faculty and staff. She
has seen alumni and board members step up
to help homeless students in need, paying for
things such as tuition, room and board—even
eyeglasses.
“This is what we do,” McSorley said.
“(Students) probably get lots more than they
would have gotten elsewhere because someone
went to bat for them.”

McSorley, who retired as dean last year but
is still serving the university as a special assistant
to the president for Mission Education an Identity, said she is still plugged into the needs of
students. In fact, she has even more time to concentrate on those who need a little extra help.
“Their pride is what sustains them,” said
McSorley of the common thread these students
possess. “They’re survivors. They’re real resilient
and real determined to make it. I think they’ve
found here the encouragement to be strong.
“One of the values about Siena Heights is
that we’re small and we catch them in this net.
There’s all these nets. Somehow we catch them
in this wonderful safety net of love and bring
them in so at least here, they’re safe. It’s what we
are as an institution.” u

Siena Heights is also actively involved in
homeless issues in the community. Here are
a couple of examples of its involvement:
• Share the Warmth is the name of an ecumenical homeless shelter that is open nightly
in Adrian during the winter months. The building belongs to the Salvation Army, but the shelter stays open with help of volunteers, including
Siena Heights faculty, staff and students. Guests
are men and women over the age of 18 looking
for a safe, warm place to stay for a night. The
shelter opens daily at 7 p.m. Sunday to Saturday,
and averages approximately 12 guests per night.
Siena Heights staffed the shelter for two weeks
in 2012. Each day is split into two shifts.

The first shift runs from 6:45 to 11 p.m. The
second shift ruins from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. The first
way to volunteer is to take a shift. Volunteers
provide supper or supply food, snacks, or soups
for the guests. Share the Warmth also helps provide paper products like towels, toilet paper and
cleaning supplies. The coordi