In March, UDM and the Jesuit Refugee Service were responsible for organizing teams of volunteers to inspect damaged schools in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, following the city's devastating January earthquake. The teams worked in conjunction with Haiti's Ministry of Education to determine the buildings' safety issues. UDM Architecture Professor Gilbert Sunghera, S.J. coordinated the UDM effort and Architectural Engineering Professor Alan Hoback, conducted the online training program as a preparation tool for volunteers.

Damaged building in Haiti.

Fr. Sunghera and alumnus Joe Coriaty '78, a partner in the architecture firm of Frederick Fisher and Partners in Los Angeles, comprised the first team, and architecture alumna Marie Haener-Patti '80,'85, and professional engineer Nathan Galer from Seattle, served on the second team.

The two teams inspected 55 schools over a period of two weeks in March. Fifteen percent of these schools were damaged beyond repair, and only 60 percent of the schools were considered partially usable. There were 4,700 total schools that needed to be assessed so Haitian children could return to school. There were also many other schools that needed work as well that were not registered. It became apparent that there was significant damage in the schools before the earthquake, including poor electricity and water issues.

Fr. Sunghera, Hoback, and Haener-Patti discussed the Haiti project at a campus presentation, April 14.

"It was wonderful to use our professional training and tap into the Jesuit network to help, " says Fr. Sunghera. "All team members would go back in a heart beat."

Although the initial project is completed, Fr. Sunghera will work through the Jesuit networks to determine any future assistance. Find a link to trip photos on the Haiti trip web page.