Michael Yodice, Nicole Mundackal, Megan Hodson, Kevin Flatley, Priyanka Kolli, Esha Jain and Demiana Azmy spent their summers in the footsteps of recently declared saint, Saint Teresa of Calcutta. The seven Saints traveled to Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta), India to volunteer with Missionaries of Charity, founded by Saint Teresa, as part of Siena’s Albany Medical College Program
Students accepted into the Albany Medical College (AMC) program earn a B.A. from Siena after four years and an M.D. from Albany Medical College upon completion of the medical curriculum. But, the work of these students isn’t just limited to the desks of a classroom or the confines of the library. The AMC program students are given the opportunity to use their knowledge and give back to the less fortunate in the local community and abroad. Students travel throughout the world - from Central America to Africa - to live and work among the poor and marginalized.
“I felt excited to jump into something completely unfamiliar,” said Kevin Flatley ’17. “But, of course I was a bit worried about being an outsider and the challenging work.”
The fear of the unknown was commonly felt through the group. Meghan Hodson ’17, worried that she wouldn’t be able to make a difference during her time in Kolkata. Her fears were quickly swept away once their service began.
“What really mattered in my day to day life in India was how I could help the children be more comfortable, have fun, laugh and smile amidst their difficult situations.”
Hodson spent her time volunteering at Daya Dan, a home for disabled children and Shishu Bhavan, also known as Mother Teresa’s orphanage. At both locations, she was able to work with the children on daily tasks as well as help in any way to make their days a little brighter.
Each student worked 6 days a week at various Missionaries of Charity volunteer locations, getting a look into the lives of the people of Kolkata.
Michael Yodice ’17, spent his Saturday mornings working at a home for disabled children where he would play with a child at the local park. Although this wasn’t as intensive as his other assignment where he worked on education with the students, the joy he saw in these one-on-one play times left a lasting impact.
“These were definitely my favorite days because the kids could be so active outside and we were able to do a lot of different things with them. That included helping kids down the slides, pushing kids who couldn’t walk on the swings and I was even able to play soccer a few times with a boy who had to sit in a wheelchair.”
Nicole Mundackal ’17 saw the same joy in the faces of the women she worked with at Prem Dan, a house for the sick, disabled and dying elderly. Even though the women were often left abandoned and without a place to go, they were still filled with joy.
“After spending seven weeks with the same people, you really get to know who you’re caring for: their personalities, their likes and dislikes, and most importantly their background story and what life was like for them before coming to the Missionary of Charity homes,” said Mundackal. “The hardest part of this trip for me was leaving these wonderful people.”
These seven Saints will bring the knowledge and experience that they gained through their summer service back to the classroom and in the local communities they serve during the academic year.
