One of the most important and lasting benefits of a university education is the broadened perspective which arises from a growing awareness of a world beyond our own experience. While that awareness makes us increasingly cognizant of the vast diversity of human experience, talent, interest, values, and heritage, it may—if we are truly fortunate—give us a profound sense of our common humanity as well.
As this semester began, members of the Rensselaer community and people around the world rallied to help those affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in South Asia that took place in late December. By the end of February, the death toll was estimated to be as high as 172,000 people across Asia, with 125,000 missing.
An immense outpouring of economic assistance in response to the devastation has brought individuals and governments together. At the request of President George W. Bush, former presidents and political rivals George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton are leading the U.S. effort to provide private aid to tsunami victims.
During their recent tour of the devastated region, former President Clinton said an estimated one-third of American households had already contributed to tsunami relief. This is a remarkable response. Nevertheless, at a news conference in Thailand, he reported that although governments and private individuals had committed $7 billion, another $4 billion is still needed for what could be a two-year period of reconstruction, as reported by The Associated Press.
As a matter of community and global responsibility, Rensselaer responded in January with an Institute contribution to the tsunami relief effort totaling $30,000 (http://www.rpi.edu/tsunami/index.html for details). In the days following the disaster, individuals and groups of Rensselaer people have responded in myriad ways, with students at the forefront of these efforts.
For example, the Muslim Student Association has donated to tsunami relief all the collections from their Friday services for the last month, totaling almost $1,000 to date. In a remarkable outpouring of concern, 23 Rensselaer student organizations had raised more than $3,500 by the end of February through a wonderful array of creative fund-raising activities—with several more important events yet to come. I encourage readers of The Polytechnic to keep informed of new events and the rapidly growing total support by checking the Tsunami Relief Web site frequently at http://www.fye.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=391.
I urge all our students—as well as faculty and staff—to seize these and other opportunities to continue to contribute to relief and rebuilding efforts, which will continue for years. If this is your first experience in philanthropy, I congratulate you and encourage you to make giving to others a regular and life-long commitment. We all have very busy lives these days, but it is important to focus on how fortunate we are, particularly when we see how many of our neighbors—around the world and around the corner—are in need.
The opportunity to perform service to others is one of life’s great privileges, and Rensselaer students have a wonderful array of opportunities from which to choose. During spring break next week, some students will be working with Habitat for Humanity in Virginia. Others will be helping critically ill children have a wonderful time at Double H Hole in the Woods Camp in Lake Luzerne, N.Y.
Closer to home, the students of CAVE (Community Action through Volunteer Engagement), the theme house in Davison Hall, have been working with children in the ARK Charter School. Annual fund-raising efforts such as the Troy Record’s Clothe-A-Child and the United Way, which Rensselaer strongly supports, offer still more opportunities to improve lives in our community.
Rensselaer’s Office of the First-Year Experience coordinates a wide assortment of service programs. This year, the Seventh Annual Celebration of Service will be expanded to five days, from April 19-23, during which time we will celebrate our contributions to the community and enable even more volunteers to serve.
Whatever your skill, interest, or financial situation, there are countless ways you can do your part to ease another’s need. As members of an increasingly interrelated global community, it is our responsibility and our privilege to give of our time, our talent, and our financial resources to make this a better world.
