Hudson Valley Community College and Russell Sage College Announce Partnership to Support Refugees

TROY — Hudson Valley Community College has announced it has been awarded a $25,000 “Every Campus a Refuge” (ECAR) grant to help support refugee resettlement in the Capital Region.

HVCC will partner with Russell Sage College, “to deliver housing, education, and essential support services to assist families as they relocate to the area,” according to a press release. 

In 2021, Russell Sage became the first college in New York State to partner with ECAR, while Hudson Valley is the first SUNY school to partner with ECAR, the release states.

“We are so pleased to partner with neighboring Russell Sage College to forge a unique partnership that will help refugee families resetting in the area and to become the first SUNY ECAR chapter,” said HVCC President Roger Ramsammy in the release. “Our goal is to ease the burden of resettlement and assist those in our own community who need essential education, language skills, job training and wraparound services to start building a new life. By collaborating with Russell Sage, we are bringing together the strengths of both colleges and plan to support ECAR families in a way that neither college could independently.” 

Russell Sage will provide temporary on-campus housing, while HVCC will provide a program coordinator and a variety of courses, including English as a second language, career preparation and high school classes, employment advice, and more, the release states. It also notes the schools will work with the U.S. Committee for Refugees & Immigrants Albany Office (USCRI).

“This past year a number of refugees resettled by USCRI benefitted from the support of ECAR, specifically Russell Sage College, and we welcome and look forward to the opportunity to expand our partnership with HVCC,” said Dr. David Sussman, Director of USCRI Albany, in the release.

“Russell Sage College emphasizes its role in building healthier communities, and that mission includes welcoming newcomers to our community, who enhance the cultural landscape and provide us all with a deeper understanding of the world,” said Russell Sage President Christopher Ames in the release. “We are proud to partner with both ECAR and Hudson Valley in this work as it provides our students with opportunities to make a difference and helps them grow as citizens and future professionals.”