When he had concerns about his family in Puerto Rico this fall, sophomore Daniel Cintron learned he could rely on the UConn family.<\/p>\n
A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the chemistry major feared for his family\u2019s safety when the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in late September. Hurricane Irma had also hit Puerto Rico earlier in the month.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was able to text with my mom, Carmen, as the storm was going on, but it took me a week to talk to my dad, Pedro,\u201d said Cintron. \u201cI am very close to my grandfather too, and I didn\u2019t talk to him for almost a month.\u00a0\u201cIt was very stressful for me. I had exams the week after it hit, but I couldn\u2019t take my eyes off the news. The cell towers blew out back home, and so I wasn\u2019t able to reach anyone after a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nUConn really helped me out, and it touched my heart.\u00a0 — Daniel Cintron<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Cintron was one of a number of students from Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida, and the Virgin Islands that the University reached out to as all these areas were affected by the storms. This past semester, the University also offered assistance to students from the Las Vegas area after the mass shooting that took place there.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe students needed to know that we were here for them,\u201d said Maureen Armstrong, associate dean of students. \u201cWe sent out emails, went to residence halls, and also reached out to graduate students living in the affected areas that were taking online classes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The needs of the students varied by individual. \u201cSome just needed to talk,\u201d Armstrong said. \u201cSocial media did not help, as many of them could see the destruction but not get in touch with their families.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Office of Counseling and Mental Health Services provided drop-in support for these students. \u201cIt might not necessarily be clinical or therapy help that they needed, just someone to listen to their worries,\u201d said Armstrong.<\/p>\n
Some students also had financial concerns as a result of the storm. Cintron, for example, feared he would not be able to meet his monthly tuition payments. Others were looking to ship packages back home so family members could have medicine and fresh toiletries.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father lost a lot of his work hours and my mother had such great property damage, I was not sure what I would do,\u201d said Cintron.<\/p>\n
His mother is still without power and water. Her apartment was completely flooded as a result of the storm \u2013 and she lives on the sixth floor of an apartment building.<\/p>\n
Through the assistance of Armstrong and her team, Cintron was directed to the Students First Fund, which was created by the Division of Student Affairs and is managed by the UConn Foundation. Students who have experienced an unanticipated hardship may receive a gift through the fund to help ease whatever burden they might have.<\/p>\n
Cintron was one of 11 UConn students who were affected by the storms and received Foundation funds. Another 34 received University need-based aid.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s standard protocol for us to review students from areas affected by different types of hardships,\u201d said Wayne Locust, vice president for enrollment planning and management. \u201cWe rally around these students and determine what their needs may be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Students from areas affected by a disaster don\u2019t have to contact the financial aid office directly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t want to put more of a burden on them than they already have,\u201d said Locust. \u201cWe follow up with them. Each year we set aside emergency funds as part of our financial aid strategy. We don\u2019t have a crystal ball, but there are always going to be hardships.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to this help provided to students, UConn\u2019s El Instituto: Institute of Latina\/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies has started a series of talks on the crisis in Puerto Rico, which will run through the spring semester. The series began in November with a presentation called \u201cThe Politics of Disaster Relief: Austerity and Human Rights in Puerto Rico Post-Maria\u201d by human rights lawyer, community activist, and Universidad del Sagrado Coraz\u00f3n professor (Santurce, Puerto Rico) Ariadna Godreau Aubert.<\/p>\n
UConn associate professor of political science Charles Venator-Santiago is heading up a survey of displaced people from Puerto Rico, who are currently living in Connecticut, a project that is funded by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.<\/p>\n
\u201cUConn really helped me out, and it touched my heart,\u201d said Cintron, who is flying back to Puerto Rico to spend the break with his family. \u201cIt really says a lot about UConn and how much it cares about its students. I have friends that go to other schools and they did not get the kind of assistance and care I did here at UConn. I am really happy here and want to be a proud graduate.\u201d<\/p>\n
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