Shouting Out to @Villab17 & @StagsMensBball Representing @FairfieldU with @Hoops4HopeZim

As I transition into summer programs at Fairfield University, including teacher institutes and Young Adult Literacy Labs, I have to applaud Aidas Kavaliauskas #5 (Lithuanian athlete playing for Fairfield University Men's Basketball team) and Vilia Baumilaite (Class of 2021, Fairfield University, also with Lithuanian roots) who have ventured to Zimbabwe to work with Hoops4Hope. Both are making our campus proud. The two of them, with support from the Kazickas Family Foundation, are working with youth populations and coaches to promote basketball skills and encouraging Literacy4Life: one of integrity, focus, self-esteem, self awareness, responsibility, a sense of humor, and Ubuntu. They are traveling throughout Zimbabwe learning more about youth cultures and working with Director Ngoni Mukukula to carry out the Hoops4Hope vision of youth development in the country. It is Basketball Power, indeed.

Vilia, a freshman at Fairfield University, introduced herself to me in my office during her freshman year and instantly began volunteering with CWP-Fairfield activities. She is a phenomenon with kids. Later, she introduced me to Aidas, who like her, has roots in Lithuania. The men's basketball team has players from nine different countries and are dedicated to both local and global outreach. This is because of the leadership that Coach Sydney Johnson provides; he was most recently applauded for  his tearful hug of this year's senior, Tyler Nelson, after he walked off the court as a Stag for the first time. Coach Johnson is a man for others and he brings to our campus joy, devotion, faith, spirituality, and mentoring. In 2016, he received the MLK vision staff award, alongside Michael J. Harding (student) and me (faculty).

This spring, the opportunity presented itself for Vilia and Aidas to represent Lithuania for collaborative work with the Hoops4Hope program (a program also recently recognized by the NBA, producer Taylor Sharp and Director Dan Hedges in the film documentary, Hoops Africa: Ubuntu Matters, that will be screened at Fairfield University in the fall as part of the Saugatuck Story Fest).

For the last week, Aidas and Vilia's have been working with Hoops4Hope, and I've been thrilled to receive photographs of their experience. This summer, too, CWP-Fairfield will host the 5th year of Ubuntu Academy, a young adult literacy lab for immigrant and refugee youth - many of whom who play sports at their high schools and have origins from African nations such as Congo, Sudan, Benin, Zambia, Tanzania, and Eritrea. The work on campus extends to work around the world. I'm extremely proud of their leadership and focus.

The work, as Sydney Johnson recognizes, transcends the court and classroom. Fairfield University seeks to encourage students to have local and global awareness with empathy and a sense of purpose.

I look forward to the photographs to come!