More than a Job, A Chance to Serve
The day after graduating from Le Moyne with a degree in political science, Taylor McFadden ‘24 began work as an assistant resident services support coordinator for the Syracuse Housing Authority (SHA). It is more than a job for McFadden. It is an opportunity to serve others. The Le Moyne graduate helps people access dignified, affordable housing and avail themselves of social, educational and financial resources. It is a role that allows her to work with a diverse population and to extend herself to members of the community.
It is not a job that confines McFadden to a desk. One day she may help someone apply for benefits through the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program. Another day she may take a group of children and adults bowling as part of Syracuse’s Relatives Acting as Parents Program, which provides support to individuals serving as caregivers to a family member or friend’s child. Still another day she may attend an informational session on the future of I-81, learning about what can be done to better connect all residents of the city.
McFadden spends much of her time researching services the city and county governments provide so that her clients can utilize them. Case in point: One senior citizen she worked with was concerned about how she would be able to travel to medical appointments. McFadden connected her to a program that entitles all Onondaga County residents over the age of 60 to three free Uber rides per month. Seeing the woman’s relief, McFadden recalls, brought “a huge smile” to her face. In another instance, she helped a person who had recently been incarcerated apply for public housing so that he could begin the process of rebuilding the life he wanted. She often spends time simply checking in with her clients, asking them how they are doing or if there is anything that they need.
McFadden credits her time at Le Moyne with helping her to become a creative problem solver and an advocate for others. She draws on the Jesuit tenets of service and being people for others every day in her job. She says that she has had a “wonderful start to her career,” and is looking forward to what comes next. The SHA and City of Syracuse recently received a $50 million federal grant that they plan to use to replace aging public housing units with an estimated 1,400 units of mixed incoming housing, and to establish a children’s center, green space, a workforce training program and health center, among other things.
I’m thrilled to be able to do this work, to be able to help people.
Now more than ever, our society needs thoughtful, ethical leaders committed to civil rights, social justice and policies that protect our people and our planet.
A Le Moyne education will provide you with the intellectual skills necessary to succeed in the world and the capacity to use your abilities to promote a more just society.
