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Representatives from Russell Sage College’s Every Campus a Refuge chapter joined peers from across the country at the fourth annual ECAR Gathering in September at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. Pictured, from left: Noora Ahmed, second; Garrison Decker, third; Ali Schaeffing, fourth; Rzonathan Morris, fifth; and Batul Alshabout, far right.
Four students and Ali Schaeffing, Ph.D., assistant professor and director of Service Learning and Community Engagement at Russell Sage College, represented Russell Sage’s Every Campus a Refuge chapter at the fourth annual ECAR Gathering, held at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, in September.
Every Campus A Refuge is a nonprofit that mobilizes colleges to make campus resources available to refugees. The specific assistance colleges provide varies, but may include employment, education, and housing for individuals, couples, or a family. The Gathering is an annual conference with workshops, keynote speakers, and activities to inspire prospective, new, and established ECAR chapters and others working on refugee resettlement.
Schaeffing was part of a conference panel titled “Pivoting and Reframing: Mobilizing for the Long Welcome,” which discussed balancing immediate needs with an eye toward the future in a changing legal and political landscape.
In 2021, Russell Sage established the first ECAR chapter in New York. Since then, Sage’s chapter has assisted seven families of all sizes as they find community in the Albany area. Russell Sage hosted ECAR’s 2024 Gathering, and ECAR founder Diya Abdo is a former visiting affiliate scholar and current advisory board member at Sage’s Denise Taber Finard ’80 Women’s Institute.
“Our collaboration with ECAR continues to grow, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see students engage in meaningful work with refugee communities,” said Schaeffing. “They are able to make a real impact while deepening their understanding of the challenges and opportunities in our community.”
The Russell Sage students who attended the 2025 ECAR Gathering include undergraduate and graduate students from across disciplines who have been active in Sage’s ECAR chapter. In their applications to attend the conference, all expressed interest in pursuing a deeper understanding of immigration and refugee issues:
Noora Ahmed ’23 (Psychology grad and Mental Health Counseling and Community Psychology master’s candidate): I have attended two ECAR Gatherings in the past, and they served as some of the most transformative experiences of my time at RSC. Supporting recently arrived families changed my perspective on my ability to make tangible and impactful change within our community. I am a more well-rounded, open-minded, and culturally aware student and individual because of participation in ECAR and its gatherings. It would be an incredible honor and opportunity to learn from those who attend to ensure I am knowledgeable and equipped to advocate for and with newcomers in the Capital Region.
Batul Alshabout ’26 (Early Childhood and Childhood Education major): As someone who came to the U.S. as a refugee, ECAR’s mission resonates with me on a personal level. I’ve experienced what it’s like to be welcomed into a new community, and now I want to help create that same sense of belonging for others. This gathering feels like the perfect space to connect, learn, and grow with people who share that same purpose, and I’d love to be a part of it.
Garrison Decker ’28 (Nursing major): “After my initial experience in fall 2024 with Professor Schaeffing and the class Refugees and Resettlement, I was reminded of a special connection to refugees … The Lost Boys of Sudan is a truly inspiring true story of how my extended relatives took in refugees. I would love to attend the ECAR gathering to maybe share this story, as well as hear more stories.
Rzonathan Morris ’26 (Criminal Justice, Law, and Behavioral Science major): “I would like to attend the ECAR Gathering to deepen my understanding of inclusive practices and advocacy strategies that support refugees and immigrants. As an intern at the Refugee and Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus, I’ve seen the importance of community-based support. I plan to attend law school to continue working with marginalized populations, and this experience will strengthen my ability to advocate effectively and empathetically.