By Kaytee Lozier
A University professor leaves the Big Apple for a historic 43-acre South Carolina campus as part of a new program to forge a relationship with the historically black Claflin University.
Daniel Sciarra, the chair of the University Department of Counseling, Research, Special Education and Rehabilitation, is spending the semester at the South Carolina institution. He has been replaced by Annette Grevious, an assistant professor of speech and drama at Claflin.
According to a press release from University Relations, Claflin University was founded in 1869 in order to “prepare freed slaves to take their rightful places as full American citizens.” The institution has less than 2,000 students and, like the University, provides a 14 to 1 student-teacher ratio.
Frederick Adderly, assistant vice president for academic affairs at Claflin, is pleased with the results of the newborn program thus far.
“The faculty member we sent over teaches in the drama department, so going to New York will be a good thing for her,” Adderly said. “Theater is more of an activity at our university, and it is a part of the English department. The information Professor Grevious brings back will be helpful as we expand our program over the next few years.”
Herman Berliner, the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University, also has high hopes for the program.
“One of our goals is to increase the diversity of our faculty,” Berliner said. “We think a partnership with Claflin will be very good for our University.”
Sciarra, a licensed psychologist and mental health counselor, is teaching multicultural education and introduction to counseling for teachers at Claflin. Although the experience has been different, Sciarra said that it has been “a very interesting place for [him] to be.”
“It is culturally very different than Hofstra because it’s over 90 percent African American,” he added. “It’s been an adjustment because [Claflin is] the size of a large high school.”
According to George Goldsmith, a senior at Claflin, Sciarra has had no trouble fitting in at his new location.
“Dr. Sciarra is an experienced teacher who uses real life situations to deliver his lecture,” Goldsmith said. “Dr. Sciarra exhibits all the characteristics of an effective teacher.”
Adderly added that Claflin faculty and students have welcomed Sciarra with open arms. He described Sciarra as a “great gentleman and a scholar.”
Back on Long Island, Grevious is teaching introduction to theater and fundamentals of acting. Thus far, she said she is keeping a positive attitude at the University.
“I really like teaching here,” Grevious said. “The students are very energetic and eager to learn. The largest difference is [that] there is less diversity in the classroom compared to Claflin.”
Some University students who are in Grevious’ class also have positive comments about her. Freshman Amy Wright said that Grevious is passionate about her work.
“She is very involved and I can see that she loves her work,” Wright said. “What I enjoy about her most of all is that she participates in the class activities with us.”
The University plans to uphold its relationship with Claflin by continuing this program in the future. Berliner is also reaching out to other schools and said that he would like to see similar exchange programs in the future.