Resiliency in the Face of Challenge

Senior SSW major Sebastian Vidal last summer with children in the DREAM project in the Dominican Republic.

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 21, 2020) -- As a student, senior social welfare major Sebastian Vidal seems to have it all.

After all, he’s a leader. His bio includes a long list of honor societies and academic awards. He just won a Chancellor's Award and a Presidential Leadership Award. Working with the Center for Leadership and Service, he was sponsored on a five-week trip to the Dominican Republic last summer, working with the (DREAM) project, which provides education to more than 8,000 children across 27 communities. During the fall semester he spearheaded a drive to collect school supplies for the children.

Vidal was even featured on The Social Workers Radio Talk Show, which airs Thursdays at 10 a.m. on 90.9 FM, WCDB.

But there are challenges.

COVID-19 put an early end to his supplies drive for the children. Vidal had planned to go back to the Dominican Republic to help with a summer school and camp program. Now it likely will be canceled.

"I am trying to brainstorm more ideas and solutions every day I can but this is a difficult time since everything is so precarious," Vidal said.

Over spring break, Vidal's family moved from Long Beach to Bayside, Queens. His spring break was filled with moving, cleaning and unpacking boxes.

The switch to remote learning has been smooth for his academic classes but was a bit rocky at first regarding internship sites and locations and completing hours for his degree.

"The stress and unknown regarding my internship hours and requirements has thankfully been resolved and I have a clear plan set to remain on track to graduate," said Vidal.

In addition to finishing his courses online from home, he’s also homeschooling his sister, who is in the fourth grade. “Many students like myself have had to do a complete 180-degree shift from our typical roles," he said.

In order to adjust to the changes, Vidal has been doing some yoga and meditation as well as reframing his thoughts. "I'm not stuck at home" became "I'm safe at home," and "I wish I had more alone time" is now "I'm grateful to spend this time with my family before leaving for graduate school."

Sebastian Vidal with children from the DREAM project.

"As an immigrant from Peru, I'm grateful to have an education and be able to pursue a higher degree, having witnessed the sacrifices my family made," Vidal said. "If my family didn't make the decision to come to the U.S. when they did, I would not be where I am today nor aspiring as big as I am. Knowing that education is one way for students to break the cycle of oppression they face, I wanted to learn more about education systems and NPOs outside of the U.S. while having an impact on Latinx youth," Vidal said.

Vidal's resilient attitude is helping him make new plans and adjust.

For example, he will showcase his research with the DREAM Project during the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement's Undergraduate Research Fair on April 28. The fair has been switched to a virtual format, and Vidal is preparing accordingly.

None of the challenges of taking classes online, the disappointment of having his project probably canceled or his new responsibilities at home have dimmed Vidal's passion for social work. He has been accepted into the University of Michigan's Master of Social Work program, where he will be one of 10 students in the Global Activities Scholars Program.

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