Seton Hall Event: Formerly Homeless College Student Will Speak

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — What are the implications of homelessness for students and families, and how can schools and law enforcement improve coordination and communication to better support families in response to the crisis?

The College of Education and Human Services at Seton Hall University will explore this vital issue with a panel discussion titled "Meeting the Needs of Students and Families Experiencing Eviction and Homelessness: Opportunities for Improved Coordination among Schools, Law Enforcement & the Community" on Wednesday, Nov. 15 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Jubilee Hall, 4th Floor Atrium.

This event is open to the public. RSVP to educate@shu.edu. Seton Hall University is located at 400 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079.

During the event, Leo Ricketts, a senior history major, will be a featured panelist speaking about his own first-hand experiences. According to Seton Hall, Ricketts, along with his mother, experienced homelessness from six to eight years old and then again for a period of two years beginning at age 13. It was during the latter time where he moved from a series of shelters in and around Paterson and Newark.

• See related article: Essex County Had Most Homeless In New Jersey For 2017, Study Says
• See related article: 1st 'Safe Haven' Homeless Shelter Opens In Newark

“Today, as a college student, he commutes from public housing where noise and other distractions make it difficult to find a quiet place to study,” Seton Hall University stated in a news release. “He often remains on campus and utilizes the library for intensive assignments. Hunger is another link in the chain of events that can affect academic performance, but Leo has developed strategies to succeed in the face of these challenges, including reliance on support from Seton Hall.”

Ricketts has risen above certain obstacles to become a high achieving student, scholarship recipient and community leader with a passion for social justice, Seton Hall administrators stated.

"I've become comfortable in uncomfortable situations," Ricketts said.

The Nov. 15 program is part of the "One Book, One College" initiative, a series of events held in support of the award-winning book "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City" by Mathew Desmond. It is not necessary to have read the book in order to attend this event.

Additional panelists include James Walters, retired detective sergeant and current ELMP student and Jeanna Velechko, Ed.D.'16, Lincoln Rutherford School principal.

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Photo: Homelessness service event in Military Park in Newark – early 2017 (via Bridges Outreach)