The Office of Mission Integration for the second year celebrated Salve Regina’s Living the Mission Awards at the University’s fall 2023-24 academic convocation on Sept. 5. These awards are a celebration of Salve’s faculty, staff, students and community partners who have carried out the mercy mission through their dedicated service and leadership.

The Living the Mission Awards recognize individuals who advance the University’s mission in extraordinary ways through their actions, seeking wisdom and promoting universal justice.

The five individuals below have linked Salve Regina’s community to the mercy mission in tremendous ways. Salve Regina is so grateful for how these five recipients are “shining lamps giving light to all around you,” in the words of Catherine McAuley.

Faculty Recipient

Dr. Paula Martasian, associate professor and chair of the Department of Psychology

“Dr. Martasian is the embodiment of compassionate mercy leadership,” Dr. Cody Morris, assistant professor of psychology and graduate program director, reflected in his nomination. “She leads her department with humility, integrity, fairness, grace and courage, which sets an example for all of the young faculty in that department.”

Dr. Martasian gives so much of herself to Salve’s community, students, faculty and staff, and she makes time for the care for the earth, as well as offering meditations and engaging in service regularly in her church and the wider community. Dr. Martasian is living the mission of Salve by working for a world that is harmonious, just and merciful.

Undergraduate Student Recipient

Isabelle Cole ’24, a major in social work with a minor in global studies

“Taking on mercy through action and protest, Belle has given voice to survivors on campus who have suffered sexual assault,” shared fellow undergraduate student, Matthew Elderkin ’24, in his nomination. Elderkin noted that Isabelle Cole inspires and empowers people to unite and share their stories.

“She is a true purveyor of the mercy mission,” he said.

This year, Cole was also elected as president of Salve’s National Mercy Honors Society, Sigma Phi Sigma.

Community Partner Recipient

Mrs. Victoria Johnson, founder of the Newport Middle Passage Port Marker Project and retired principal from Rogers High School

As an institution committed to supporting the community, the university has the pleasure of working with so many extraordinary Aquidneck Island partners. Mrs. Victoria Johnson has worn many hats in the Newport community, especially as retired principal of Rogers High School.

Mary Beth Pelletier, program manager in mission integration, nominated Mrs. Johnson for her commitment as a community member to celebrating the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a planning committee member for Salve’s annual MLK Week celebration. Pelletier reflected in her nomination that Mrs. Johnson’s leadership in Newport and the NAACP’s MLK Day celebration is thoughtful, enlightening and humbling.

“You can also see Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s legacy in Mrs. Johnson’s work,” said Pelletier. “She exhibits courage and mercy in her work and is a valued member of our extended Salve family.”

Graduate or Professional Student Recipient

Evan Switzer, graduate student in behavior analysis

Evan Switzer recently completed his first year in Salve’s behavior analysis (ABA) graduate program. A father of three, Switzer became interested in changing his career and pursuing further studies in ABA as he learned to support one of his children with a diagnosis of autism.

Dr. Cody Morris, graduate program director of ABA, shared in his nomination that Switzer understood fully the importance of the practicum and clinical experience and his willingness to shift his career trajectory to dive in fully was remarkable.

“Evan is clearly committed to becoming a good behavior analyst so that he can help children and families in need and is doing whatever it takes to fulfill his mission,” said Dr. Morris.

Staff Recipient

Anne McDermott, director of the Office of Financial Aid

As the director of financial aid, Anne McDermott has the incredible task of helping to connect students and their families with financial support to realize their dreams for a college education. Dr. Elizabeth Fitzgibbon, associate dean of undergraduate studies and associate professor in mathematical sciences, recognized McDermott for her mercy leadership.

“Anne has led the financial aid office in making significant reforms which have addressed matters of diversity, equity and inclusion — as well as the dignity of all persons,” said Dr. Fitzgibbon. “Anne is consistently putting student needs at the center of the conversation.”

Dr. Fitzgibbon shared in her nomination that McDermott has also lead the way in making significant changes to how Salve addresses students with demonstrated need by helping the process become smoother.

Three additional Afghan students, displaced from their native country since the fall of Kabul in August 2021, have now arrived on Salve’s campus and are enrolled as transfer students. They join four of their compatriots who enrolled at Salve in January through a developing national initiative that creates higher education pathways for refugees from around the world.

The three new students were welcomed by Salve’s president, Kelli Armstrong, in her office on Wednesday, Sept. 13. Two attended international orientation on campus in late August and were able to start classes on time last week. The third arrived late due to delays in the resettlement process and started classes this week.

“You are really cared about here — and if you need anything, all you have to do is ask,” Dr. Armstrong told the students, making sure each was adjusting well to their Salve campus experience. “Having you here is really important to who we are as an institution; it’s really important to our mission.”

One of the new students had been attending classes at the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) before being evacuated to Kyrgyzstan, where they continued their studies at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) in Bishkek. Two of the students were already studying at AUCA and was unable to return to Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul. Upon their individual arrivals to the U.S. they were assisted by the resettlement agency Dorcas International while residing in temporary housing in Providence.

“Being here feels like a dream, to be honest,” said Navid Mohmand, pictured above with Dr. Armstrong. “It was totally unexpected for me, but now that I am here — the behavior of people I am seeing is very friendly and welcoming. The professors are really helpful.”

In addition to receiving tuition support from Salve Regina, the students are receiving funding and support from the Qatar Scholarship for Afghans Project (QSAP) to offset the costs of room, board, and other living expenses. QSAP, founded by the Afghan Future Fund (AFF), Education Above All Foundation (EAA), Yalda Hakim Foundation (YHF), Schmidt Futures, and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE), is a unique partnership welcoming 250 displaced Afghan students to more than 40 U.S. college and university campuses.

The students have also been greatly assisted by a community development grant from Centreville Bank, which helps support essential costs related to settling into their new homes on campus. RI Reconnect, a program of the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner that aids refugees and other populations in completing postsecondary education, is assisting with the cost of books as well as connecting the students to other helpful resources in the state as they complete their education and enter the workforce.

Erin FitzGerald, director of the Center for Global Education and Fellowships (CGEF), who is coordinating the initiative at Salve, said she believes the majority of the students’ needs, including being placed with jobs on campus, have been met through the support of multiple University offices, together with resources and services provided by external partners.

The CGEF sponsored a one-day training in August for thirty Salve community members offered by Every Campus a Refuge (ECAR) and the National Association of System Heads (NASH). The training focused on developing knowledge about the global migration crisis and developing strategies for making university campuses more welcoming to refugee students.

“These are such talented students whose educations and futures have been dramatically impacted by the crisis in their country,” said FitzGerald. “I am confident that our community will benefit as much from their presence and their perspectives as they benefit from the support offered them from Salve and other partners.”

As an active member of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, Salve is among universities collaborating on the effort to enroll refugee students. The Alliance is working in partnership with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to achieve the ambitious goal of providing 15 percent of eligible refugees with access to higher education by 2030.  Just yesterday the Welcome Corps on Campus initiative was officially launched in D.C. This initiative will involve U.S. universities applying to host refugees from around the world on their campus, supported by a constellation of national and international organizations.

The UNHCR reports 79.5 million people are currently displaced worldwide, including 26 million refugees. Of these, only three percent of college-eligible refugees are currently able to access higher education.