Now, more than ever, it is important for all of us to connect with others and our community, says StFX student Alyssa Spridgeon who has come up with a unique project to do just that.
The Xaverian Pen Pal Project aims to bring together StFX students with local students and senior citizens in Antigonish to promote positive inter-generational relationships between StFX students and community members, while helping alleviate some of the challenges surrounding physical distancing created by COVID-19, says Ms. Spridgeon, who is from Whitby, ON and is finishing up her first year at StFX, but the third year of her psychology degree. She transferred to StFX from a university in the U.S. She also currently plays for the X-Women soccer team.
Ms. Spridgeon says the idea began percolating after her English 201 professor (and McKenna Centre for Leadership Director) Dr. Mathias Nilges suggested in their first online discussion following the cancellation of in-person classes that we shift our thinking away from “social distancing” and instead think of it as physical distancing with an opportunity for social solidarity.
“So, the result was considering a way to continue to build relationships and facilitate community connections while students are back home and unable to connect in-person,” she says.
“I had read about different age groups that were especially affected by social distancing, particularly senior citizens who could no longer receive visits from family and friends. I also have a younger brother and considered how the loss of seeing friends and the structure of school would be affecting younger students.”
She says all of this, combined with her own feelings of isolation and missing StFX, brought about the idea of a pen pal project to connect students and community members.
INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY
“I’ve been to several universities and have seen many communities and Antigonish has a community that is incredibly special. Truly, in the last school year, StFX and Antigonish have become a second home to me and I love the tight-knit community that exists there. As a student-athlete, I’ve been especially lucky to see the role that the local community plays in supporting our athletics programs and I’m very grateful for the connection that StFX has with the community through many partnerships,” she says.
“I know that many StFX students feel similarly and I wanted to create an opportunity to facilitate more relationships between students and community members. I also know that social distancing can result in feelings of isolation and loneliness, so while this project will build new relationships, I am hoping that it will also help to alleviate those feelings and help individuals to feel a bit more joyful and connected.”
Ms. Spridgeon says she is hoping to continue the project throughout the year and hopes that pen pals will continue to connect with each other even after this is over.
“I have had a lot of positive feedback so far and hope that this not only alleviates the challenges of social distancing but helps to strengthen the relationships that StFX students have with the community. Particularly with StFX students who have been matched with younger students in Antigonish, this is a really great opportunity to be a role model too!”
Ms. Spridgeon says she has been extremely lucky to receive support from StFX’s McKenna Centre for Leadership on this project. “I am so excited to take advantage of the expertise that those at the McKenna Centre have on a number of levels when it comes to successful leadership. Dr. Nilges has provided a great deal of support and advice on the best ways to execute the project and the centre has already helped me to connect with community organizations and leaders who can help to grow the project. Additionally, the funding that the McKenna Centre has graciously provided will allow for improvements in several areas and will also help with continuing to grow the project throughout the school year.”
Interested students are encouraged to sign up at the Xaverian Pen Pal Project.
