Students, Faculty of Haitian Descent Speak at NJIT’s Vigil For Haiti
Students, faculty and staff at NJIT have spent the first day of the new semester organizing a variety of events and programs to help the people of Haiti. As one of the first efforts, a Vigil for Haiti to offer hope and support for the people of Haiti both locally and abroad will be held tomorrow at 4 p.m. in the Jim Wise Theater on the NJIT campus. (ATTENTION EDITORS: For more information, contact Sheryl Weinstein, 973-596-3436.)
The program will include opening remarks from students and faculty members of Haitian descent as well as comments from students representing the Caribbean Student Society and the NJ Haitian Student Association. Hillary Gillings, a staff member, will sing songs of comfort, while Rev. Marc Vicari, the chaplain of the Catholic Campus Ministries, The Newman Center, will speak.
Other ongoing efforts at NJIT to help Haiti include the work of the NJIT Chapter of Engineers Without Borders. The group has already been working on a water purification project in Haiti. They will also meet Jan. 20, 2010 at 2:30 pm. in Colton Hall, Room 416. They will discuss what else they can do to help the Haitians get clean water. Also at NJIT, alumna Marie Jackson (class of 2005), is assistant secretary of the NJ Chapter of the Association of Haitian Physicians abroad. The group has been sending volunteer doctors and nurses to Haiti and is seeking donations to aid emergency medical relief. Jackson is available to discuss these efforts.
Lastly, research professor Mike Chumer is formulating plans to help Haiti with emergency communications.