UAlbany Students Train Others in Disaster Response as Members of American Red Cross Citizen Preparedness Corps

Sophomore Michelle Leung took on the challenge of providing the first training through the Citizens Preparedness Corps program at UAlbany.

ALBANY, N.Y. (December 16, 2015) -- Whether it’s a blizzard knocking out power or floods washing away roads, disasters can come in any number of forms. In New York, four University at Albany students are learning about how best to prepare and respond to these events, and sharing this knowledge with others.

In partnership with Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the American Red Cross has launched Citizen Preparedness Corps training to residents across the state. UAlbany’s College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC) is partnering with the American Red Cross to help students participate in the endeavor through the Citizens Preparedness Corps College Scholarship Program. The concept is to provide college students in New York the opportunity to educate their community on disaster preparedness and while assisting them with their tuition costs.

Students who took part in the training were taught effective ways to prepare for, respond to and recover from them as an individual, family and community.

At UAlbany, undergraduates Michelle Leung and Charisma Cole, and graduate students Tahirih Anthony and Jared Meagher were selected as campus coordinators. They are delivering training on campus and in the community that provides information about common types of natural and man-made disasters and teaches effective ways to prepare for, respond to and recover from them as an individual, family and community. The goal of the program is to provide training to 20,000 New Yorkers. The students were chosen following an information session sponsored by CEHC and the American Red Cross, as well as a formal interview.

"One of the central missions of the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity is to prepare students for a life of civic engagement," said CEHC Interim Dean David Rousseau.  "One important form of this engagement is helping citizens of our state and nation develop the skills and knowledge necessary to play a central role in every stage of a disaster -- from mitigation and preparation to response and recovery.  The American Red Cross Citizen Preparedness Corps is a perfect partner for this aspect of our mission."

The University was named home to CEHC, the first-in-the-nation security college dedicated to enhancing the security of New York State, the nation and the world, by Governor Cuomo in his 2015 State of the State Address. Its mission is to support high-quality academic programs for undergraduate and graduate students, to produce new knowledge through innovative research, and to provide training and lifelong learning opportunities for professionals – all to help prepare for, protect against, respond to, and recover from a growing array of natural and man-made risks and threats in New York state and around the world.

UAlbany Campus Coordinators

The students appointed as campus coordinators from UAlbany come from all walks of life. They are studying a broad array of disciplines that connect back to the importance of emergency preparedness, including:

• Michelle Leung, from Brooklyn, N.Y., is a Public Health undergraduate student at the University at Albany with a minor in Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity.  She is proficient in Cantonese and is a leader in several philanthropic and educational organizations on campus.
• Charisma Cole, from Brooklyn, N.Y., is a freshman at the University at Albany minoring in Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity. Cole is a member of several large-scale student organizations and is already beginning her career in emergency preparedness through serving as a campus coordinator.
• Tahirih Anthony, from Staten Island, N.Y., is a graduate student at the University at Albany pursing a Certificate from the new College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity.  She is a Graduate Assistant for the Department of Residential Life.
• Jared Meagher, from Honeoye Falls, N.Y., is a graduate student at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy with concentrations in Homeland Security and Information Management.  He currently provides presentations on the Governor's Grants Gateway project through the NYS Office of Information Technology Services.

Leung took on the challenge of providing the first training when she presented to a group of 52 students on December 3rd.  The presentation was sponsored by Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, a non-profit organization that advocates Asian awareness and empowers women to lead through values-based programs.

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