Syracuse Sun

Students from Syracuse University's Dick Clark Los Angeles Program are contributing to recovery efforts following recent wildfires in California. The students arrived in early January for their spring semester and soon found themselves amid community relief efforts after wildfires, including the Palisades and Eaton fires, erupted on January 7. These fires destroyed thousands of homes and caused significant damage.

Despite being safe from the immediate danger, the nearly 70 students were inspired by the local communities' support for each other. Anna Proulx, program director for visual and performing arts, said, “We were quite far from both of the fires, so we were fortunate in terms of both where the center is and where the students were living.”

The students engaged in various volunteer activities at donation centers set up to help affected families. Newhouse LA Program Director Robin Howard emphasized community engagement as a key part of their program: “We’ve always, since the beginning, made community engagement a requirement of the program,” Howard stated.

Students participated by organizing donations and assisting families at distribution events. They offered not only physical help but also emotional support during these challenging times. Emily Bosco, a junior majoring in television, radio, and film from Verona, New Jersey, reflected on her experience: “I volunteered because I wanted to be able to give back to the community in which I am living for the next few months.”

Another student volunteer, Isabella Giacoppo from Long Island, New York shared her motivation: “I wanted to help because people lost everything, so it was the least I could do.” Both Bosco and Giacoppo expressed how volunteering left a lasting impact on them.

Howard and Proulx acknowledged that recovery efforts will continue long into the future. They remain committed to finding ways for students to contribute meaningfully while balancing their academic commitments.

“A few of the students have mentioned it brought them together as a community," Proulx noted. "Los Angeles has a beautiful, wonderful community and this has highlighted that for sure." Howard added that this effort reflects positively on student resilience and kindness: “It’s really a tribute to our students.”