Thank You to These Community Members

The following MIT community members have been recognized for going the extra mile. Thank someone today.
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Krystyn Van Vliet, Michael Schulthoff, Nick Selby (4th set of volunteers)

How are we grateful to these helpers who came to save the day? Let us count the ways:
1. They did not hesitate to do what we found they could be tasked to do.
2. They were happy to help, and it showed!
3. They made it possible for us to work 1-on-1 interactions with students as they checked out, many of them graduating seniors who we felt deserved that extra special attention.
Bravo to the helpers! Mr Rogers would be proud!
Sandy Alexandre, Literature Department and East Campus

Ramona Allen

Hi Ramona,

You are so awesome – but I have known that for quite some time now. I would like to personally say, “Thank you for looking out for me and everyone at MIT” and putting our safety first. I knew you would do great things as the VP for HR. I really appreciate you and your hard work. Thanks again.
Cheryl Gillespie, Center for Real Estate

Francesca Vaccaro

Francesca has gone far above and beyond in her role as a GRA by providing students with emotional support, food, a helping hand, rides to the airport, and so much more. She is a pillar in our community and without her we would have been much worse off.
Anonymous

Cosmo Grant, Eileen Carney, Ollie Gelmont (3rd set of volunteers)

Angels do exist, and I can testify that they live among us and that they came to EC to help us during the move-out process! We are immensely grateful for everything you did to make the moving process less stressful for all involved.
Sandy Alexandre, Literature Department and East Campus

Luis Lopez and all the other custodians who are helping to keep the campus clean and virus free!

I am very proud of MIT’s handling of the pandemic to date, especially it’s support of undergrad students who needed help getting home or needed to stay for some reason. We are all proud of people on the front lines, especially healthcare workers. But let’s also give a virtual high-five and heartfelt thank you to the hard-working custodians who are trying to keep work spaces disinfected and safe for people who must go to work. Even in normal times they are working behind the scenes to maintain the living and working spaces that a campus depends upon.
Deborah Savage, Alumni! Chemical Engjneering (PhD 1992)

Gwen Wilcox, Kelly Gaus, Lauren Craik, and Richard Zhang (2nd set of volunteers)

We more than got by with a lot of help from these helper friends! We on the EC House team bow down to these people for doing everything from taking down recycling items FROM THE 5th FLOOR (FYI: We're a building with NO ELEVATORS!) to helping students move items into their cars. They were so thorough, so fantastic!
Sandy Alexandre, Literature Department and East Campus

Karon McCollin and Lisa Breede (1st set of volunteers)

Karon and Lisa were amazing for being our helping pioneers--the first set of volunteers sent to us to help with the move-out process. They set the tone and the standard, even if it was fairly quiet that morning, since students were not yet up and milling about. They were thoughtful about passing on information to the next shift of helpers about what tasks needed to be performed. So a huge shout out to the two of them for helping us and helping each other while they were here!
Sandy Alexandre, Literature Department and East Campus

My GRAs Arthur and Chloe

Thank you for always being there. You are probably the people I saw most during this tumultuous time, and your presence and support was a beacon of hope against the raging currents of despair. I will never forget the taste of the sweet almond cookie or the delicious Flour sandwich (among lots of other things) that you gave me (and everyone else in the section) to keep my spirits up and my panic at bay.
Kevin Ren, Simmons Hall

The presenters of today's webinar about industry and human responses to the current pandemic

My husband and I are owners of a small technology company, originally based on his MBA thesis at MIT. The webinar presentation was particularly helpful for us, our employees, our suppliers and our customers. As a physician as well as a scientist and company President, I was particularly engaged by the first presenter's global perspective of the issues currently challenging us as individuals, companies, employers, and citizens.
Susan Silverton

Brice Huang

He biked luggage over to his apartment to help me store my stuff and offered to store so many people's musical instruments (cellos) and was just always there to help however he could. <3
Maya Sankar

Patrick and Brian Ledwith

Thank you to Patrick Ledwith (2019 MIT graduate and now a PhD at Harvard) and his father, for quickly moving my daughter out of East Campus and back home. I was unable to make the trip due to my job and my medical condition and they were able to help out my daughter Sophie Fisher, MIT class of 2020. I'm not sure what I would have done without them.
Julie Fisher-Holtsberg

Thank you to Patrick Ledwith (2019 MIT graduate and now a PhD at Harvard) and his father, for quickly moving my daughter out of East Campus and back home. I was unable to make the trip due to my job and my medical condition and they were able to help out my daughter Sophie Fisher, MIT class of 2020. I'm not sure what I would have done without them.
Julie Fisher-Holtsberg

Prof. Amah Edoh

Prof Edoh is helping members of the African community connect with whatever resources they may need in each of their unique situations.
Awele Uwagwu, Chemical Engineering

Michael Birnbaum

Michael was a calm, confident and genuinely helpful presence and offered real support as the BE staff, students, and leadership responded to organize and dispatch help for our community.
Aran Parillo, MIT BE

All MIT Staff

Impressed by the dedication of all MIT Staff, everyday and particularly during this special period. The Institute would simply not function without them, and I am saddened by how their hard work often goes unnoticed.
Eytan Levi, MIT Architecture

Students at MIT

With the change in move-out timelines, my son had less than 6 hours to start and finish packing, store his belongings, say good-bye to friends, and get to the airport. He was not alone. Within minutes, other students and friends were helping him - they came over to pack, offered to store things in their U-Haul or local home, and even ran to get him lunch so he could eat. With no family in the area, he was able to get everything in order and get home safely. This is ONE MIT. I am so proud and filled with gratitude that this will be my son's alma mater. He has a second family at MIT.
Anonymous

Cedrick Boursiquot, SEVIS Systems Coordinator & Data Analyst, ISO

Cedrick Boursiquot has gone beyond the call of duty to prepare us for the extremely high demands of our students during this time of uncertainty. Last week he also helped prepare us and our laptops to work remotely, and gave us an introduction to all the software and processes we would need to work remotely but still talk to our students. This week he has volunteered to come in to the office and be at the front desk to give students their travel documents, and to field immediate questions. Without his assiduity and preparation we would be having a much harder time responding to the high demands of our students.
Sylvia Hiestand, International Student Office, (OVC)

Alessandra Robinson

Alessandra is always one of the most supportive person on MIT's campus. During this crisis, she has gone above and beyond. Checking in multiple times a day to make sure I was okay, to help me make a to do list, to cheer me on for accomplishing the small things, and just to be someone to listen to the pain I was feeling. She is phenomenal and I am incredibly grateful to have such a strong and kind support system at MIT.
Meghan E Davis

President Reif

Our son is a freshman and our first child to leave the nest. We have watched in wonder and delight as he has grown into a more confident, thoughtful, and wise young man at MIT. We thank all his professors and the many other professionals who have contributed to this. We also wish to thank you for the continuous, clear, and thorough communication you have provided with regard to COVID-19 and the transition to online learning. Your judicious, cautious, and informed handling of this situation was very calming and reassuring to us. We are all looking forward to his return to campus in the fall.
Mackey Pendergrast

Course 20 (the entire department), specifically Angela Belcher, Bevin Engelward, Sidney, Michael Birnbaum

The entire department did such a good job at not only sending supportive emails but of taking action to show that they were here for us and wanted to help us through this. They hosting a mini graduation, fed us, helped us (specifically me) come up with a game plan for what we were going to do, and they offered their homes and their time to us. It made me so thankful to be a part of such a kind and supportive major.
Meghan E Davis

Everyone including alumni who are doing things on and off campus to help the COVID 19 pandemic

Jamie Banks, alumna

Delta Tau Delta Alumni

I would like to thank the Delta Tau Delta alumni group for helping their undergraduate brothers move out! I feel blessed my son is part of this amazing group of men!
Thankful Parent

Groups giving pertinent courses online or zoom

Excellent up to date content, and answered questions well
Marjorie Jeffcoat

Belinda Yung

Belinda is a Technology Support Specialist for the Literature Section. Belinda has taken measures to ensure that staff are able to to work effectively remotely, including creating a guide on how to access the Literature Server from off-campus. Not only has Belinda given practical tips and advice, but she has maintained her positive attitude and has kept all of the staff smiling by sending us fun memes and puppy pictures! Thank you, Belinda!
Alicia Mackin, Literature Section

Juliana Drozd

She did a great job at organizing the EAPS community to help share resources within the department. It not only helped people find the help they needed, but reaffirmed the kindness and generosity of the EAPS community. Thank you, Juliana!
Sarah Weidman, EAPS

Applications and IT Services Team

The Applications and IT Services Team team did an outstanding job preparing all staff to work remotely as they were able quickly set up online resources for those who needed the assistance. Thank you team!!!!
Deborah Davies, Department of Facilities

All those who’re tirelessly debating what decisions to make and what communications to send out

Raj Varadarajan

Graduating Seniors, Instructors and TKD Alum

Thank you for your outpouring of support and kindness from offering up your homes to helping take people to the airport and offering financial and emotional support during these trying times. Seniors, despite your own loses you still kept your heads up high and held organizational roles that made the process easier for everyone else. We love you and we will miss you <3
MIT Sport TKD Members

Joe Graham

Thanks for keeping East Campus together for us.
Miana Smith

The East Campus House Team - Sandy Alexandre, Alexandria Clyburn, Eden Medina, and Cristian Medina

Thank you for your constant support, guidance, and help during this difficult time.
Miana Smith
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