Gil Severiano – Fordham Now

Fordham to Mark Hurricane Anniversary with “Sandy Saturday”

Fordham News — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 20:24:56 +0000

Oct. 29 marks one year since Hurricane Sandy struck the east coast, causing more than 100 deaths and as much as $65 billion in damages. In New York alone, hundreds were displaced as flooding, severe winds, and, in some cases, fire destroyed entire neighborhoods.

Fordham University is marking the anniversary of Hurricane Sandy with a service trip to help local individuals and families who continue to struggle, and to raise awareness about the continued physical, financial, and spiritual needs of these communities.

On Saturday, Nov. 2, the Fordham University Sandy Solidarity Committee will sponsor its final “Sandy Saturday” to work with affected communities. Volunteers will travel from campus to the Far Rockaways to join Habitat for Humanity in helping clear debris, gut devastated homes, and assist in the ongoing rebuilding efforts.

According to Gil Severiano, assistant to the vice president of campus ministry, the hope was that, by sponsoring a trip near the anniversary of the storm, Fordham could turn a spotlight on the devastation that hurricane victims continue to grapple with.

“There is still a lot of work to be done,” Severiano said. “There are whole lots that are still empty, and people who are have only just begun returning to their homes.”

Since the storm hit, the University has run more than a dozen trips to the Rockaways, Breezy Point, and other affected areas. More than 400 students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends have participated in these official Sandy Saturdays, although Severiano said the unofficial number is much higher.

“The Fordham response was immediate and sustained,” she said. “In addition to our trips, people were going out in solo groups. The Lincoln Center students, for example, did a phenomenal job of organizing themselves to collect donations and run trips.”

The University will also hold a prayer service Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. on the Gabelli Plaza, outside Hughes Hall. A reception and reflection will be held in the McGinley Ballroom directly following the service.

In addition, the collection at this Sunday’s Mass was dedicated to the hurricane victims.

“Campus Ministry is happy to continue accepting donations on behalf of Catholic Charities, Habitat for Humanity, and others working in these areas. People can also donate directly to these organizations,” Severiano said.

“We live here, these are our neighbors. We need to support our local community.”

To register for Saturday’s trip, click here and fill out the registration form.

For information about either the trip or the prayer service, contact campus ministry at (718) 817-4500.

To read about earlier Sandy Saturday efforts, read the article on Fordham’s news blog.

–Joanna Klimaski

Volunteers Brave Freezing Temps to Help Sandy Victims

Fordham News — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:32:19 +0000

Photo by Cathy Lee, GSB ’08, GBA ’11

Though the temperature sank to single-digit degrees this weekend, a stalwart group from Fordham trekked to Breezy Point for the second in a series of “Sandy Saturdays” to help those recovering from Hurricane Sandy.

The cold forced the group of students, alumni, faculty, and staff to concentrate on indoor projects for the day, including removing damaged insulation, reinsulating, and bringing in new sheetrock.

“We ended up with 22 people in Breezy Point—more people than degrees!” said Gil Severiano, assistant to the vice president of campus ministry, who was one of the chaperones.

The group also brought donations and other supplies to residents, many of whom are still displaced three months after Sandy struck the east coast. Despite having found temporary shelter in apartments or with family and friends, many lack the comforts of home, making emotional recovery difficult, Severiano said.

Photo by Cathy Lee, GSB ’08, GBA ’11

“When something’s wrong, a lot of us go to the kitchen and make food, because making food is such a nurturing act for your family,” she said. “One woman told us that now, every time she reaches for something to use, there’s nothing there. You think you have a measuring cup, or you think you have a frying pan, and you don’t. The cookbooks you used all your life, that your mother handed down to you, don’t exist anymore.”Several participants of the Jan. 26 trip, which was co-sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations, were featured in a CBS news video, which can be viewed here.Though the number of overall volunteers have decreased during the winter months, a devoted corps labored beside the Fordham group on Saturday, including a few New Orleans residents who wanted to repay the kindness of New York volunteers who came to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.”Part of the trip involves going into somebody’s home, seeing firsthand what happened, seeing somebody’s reaction to their whole world being turned upside down, and offering comfort and support,” Severiano said. “It was a good experience for the students, the alumni, everyone, because we actually did important work that day.”The trip was part of a series of one-day outings known as Sandy Saturdays that Fordham will sponsor throughout the spring semester. Volunteers will join organizations such as Habitat for Humanity to help clear debris, gut devastated homes, and assist in the beginnings of the rebuilding efforts.Sandy Saturdays are set for:

Feb. 9
Feb. 23
March 9
March 23
April 6
April 20

Anyone interested in either chaperoning or volunteering should contact the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice at (718) 817-4510, or by going online here.

— Joanna Klimaski

Fordham At Work: Gil Severiano

Fordham News — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:46:11 +0000

WHO SHE IS
Administrative Assistant to Joseph A. Currie, S.J., Associate Vice President for University Mission and Ministry and Director of Campus Ministry

TIME AT FORDHAM
Seven years

WHAT SHE DOES
Gil manages the Campus Ministry office at Rose Hill, including four student workers. Her duties include budget development, space reservations and renovations, finances, publicity, human resources and program implementation.

BACKGROUND
She earned a degree in restaurant management and worked as a restaurant division executive for 10 years. After starting her family, she received a bachelor’s degree in humanities, summa cum laude, from Iona College. She has worked in the medical, legal and not-for-profit fields, and also for the government.

MYRIAD TASKS
“In the same day, I might reserve a wedding, finalize details for a movie screening, review renovation plans, welcome a prospective student, accept retreat applications and work on the formation of a Jewish Student Organization. It’s never boring!”

AT THE READY
“Campus Ministry is often called on in times of need, and I am grateful when we can comfort people or find a solution for them. The best thing about my job is working with our students. I am amazed by their faith, passion and willingness to work for their ideals.”

OFFICE UPGRADES
“We have updated all of our offices, sacred spaces, technology and publications. We are constantly searching for ways to interact with, and engage our students and community, and to respond to their needs. We have broadened our interfaith programming and increased our staff to meet the needs of an increasingly non-Catholic population.”

FAVORITE EVENT
“My favorite event is the Mass of the Holy Spirit. Afterward, Campus Ministry hosts a barbeque on the McGinley Lawn. It’s great to see the students, Jesuits, faculty and staff meeting one another, laughing and eating together.”

OUTSIDE INTERESTS
“My husband and I love to travel with our children. Our favorite destination is our beach house near my husband’s hometown in Portugal. It’s incredibly beautiful, and not many people have figured that out. I also love to cook and garden.”