SJC Brooklyn students, faculty and staff – responding to the devastating Feb. 8 earthquake in Taiwan – gathered Monday and Tuesday for a 3-on-3 basketball fundraiser in The Hill Center.
The proceeds from the event were donated to support the efforts of the College’s partnering institution, Tzu Chi University (TCU), which is playing a critical role in helping its hometown – Hualien, Taiwan – recover from the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck the coastal community. Seventeen people have died and nearly 300 people suffered serious injuries.
“Service is an integral component of an SJC education — this value is something that both our students and the Tzu Chi community share and cherish,” said Michael Hanophy, Ph.D., interim executive dean and professor of biology at SJC Brooklyn. “When we heard about what happened in Hualien, our students, faculty and staff rallied to show our friends at Tzu Chi University that they are not alone as they rebuild their community.”
Volunteers from TCU were among the first to provide disaster relief at the scene, and Tzu Chi Hospital saw the majority of those injured, given that the city’s public hospital was critically damaged by the earthquake.
“Through these fundraisers and community service endeavors, our students are encouraged to embrace social responsibility — one of the pillars of our College,” said Student Government Association President Juanita Arias, who will be graduating this May. “These are empowering experiences, since students from various organizations and clubs unite their efforts and energies to prepare for the events. During this fundraiser, students collaborated on creating baskets to be raffled during the basketball tournaments and reached out to faculty and staff for their participation. We hope this event is continued in the coming semesters, since it helps bring the SJC family together as we serve families around the world.”
Over 60 SJC Brooklyn students, faculty and staff formed 22 separate teams for this competition, which raised over $300 for TCU. In addition, the College also made a contribution to support Tzu Chi’s relief efforts in Hualien.
“The basketball fundraiser was a fun way to bring our students together in support of Tzu Chi University, our partner college in Hualien,” said Peter Lin, Ph.D, associate professor of psychology at SJC Brooklyn. “Tzu Chi students and faculty are immersed in the relief and recovery efforts in Hualien. This fundraiser and our show of support is deeply appreciated by them and is an example of our mutual commitment to serving our communities.”
