“I think this partnership is something that can be beneficial to a great number of students and families,” said Hampton’s president.
Hampton University will extend a humanitarian offer of support to between 50 and 100 students fleeing Ukraine amid its battle against the Russian invasion, Hampton President Dr. William R. Harvey announced one week ago.
“The collective Hampton University faculty, staff and students are heartbroken because the war-torn country of Ukraine must deal with atrocities like the bombing of maternity wards, hospitals and other civilian areas,” he said in the college’s March 16 statement. “I think this partnership is something that can be beneficial to a great number of students and families.”
“My entire career,” Harvey shared, “has been focused on helping people to achieve and meet their goals.”
The effort echoes a similar one by the university in 2019, when Harvey reached out to Dr. Rodney Smith, the president of the University of the Bahamas, who had served as vice president for administrative services at Hampton, and offered a similar agreement to students from the University of the Bahamas after its north campus was obliterated by Hurricane Dorian.
Students from Ukraine and its international attendees who can travel to the U.S. and take advantage of the opportunity will receive room, board and tuition for the Summer 2022 session, and will have the option to stay at Hampton University at the regular tuition and fee rates in the fall.
As previously reported, Ukraine was considered a top destination for medical and engineering students. The nation hosted more than 4,000 students from Nigeria alone and up to 80,000 other international students.
The ongoing Russian-Ukrainian crisis has forced thousands to flee the besieged nation for neighboring countries, including Poland, Romania and Hungary. However, many students continue to face uncertainty as basic needs like housing must be met. Additionally, it is nearly impossible for students to secure copies of their transcripts from their previous schools.
“There are groups of volunteers, including many members of the African diaspora helping them to find accommodation,” Special Mandate Holder at the United Nations Human Group of Experts on People of African Descent Miriam Ekiudoko told OkayAfrica. “Lots of universities opened their dormitories, and many local governments have been very welcoming.”
Founded in 1868, Hampton University offers 90 programs of study and is home to 16 research centers, including the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute, which provides precise and effective treatment for many cancers.
Source: TheGrio
Featured image: South African student Vutlhari Mtonga (center left), who was evacuated from Ukraine following the Russian invasion, is welcomed by her sister, Mikateko Mtonga, upon arriving at O.R. Tambo International Airport earlier this month. (Photo: Themba Hadebe/AP)
