SJC Long Island alumna Rachel Sullivan ’20 is channeling her inner passions of knitting and service to make a difference in the community.
Sullivan teamed with the St. Joseph’s College Office of Alumni Engagement this spring to kick start a new virtual Knitters Group. During the first session of the Knitters Group, SJC alumni — including alumni from the Class of 1969 through the most recent class — met on Zoom, chatting and weaving 10 scarves to donate to Mercy Center Ministries in Patchogue.
“I really loved staying involved at St. Joe’s during my time as a student, and was looking to do the same as an alumna, which is what ultimately led to the idea of this group,” said Sullivan, who majored in industrial-organizational psychology, religious studies and philosophy. “In my own experience, service projects and knitting are both great ways to connect with people.”
Sullivan began her knitting journey in high school, forging friendships with a diverse group of people, bonding over their love for the craft. She thought a knitters group would be the perfect way to stay in touch with the St. Joseph’s community, so she reached out to Allison Schmidt, assistant director of alumni engagement at SJC Long Island, to get started.
A series of Knitters Group meetings began on May 11. During the sessions, Sullivan teaches three knitting skills. Each attendee knits an afghan block. Sullivan will sew the squares together to create a single blanket to be donated to Mercy Center Ministries. To join, SJC alumni may register through SJCNY Connect, the alumni events section of the College website or through the Facebook event listing.
“The St. Joseph’s College virtual Knitters Group provides alumni with the unique opportunity to learn how to knit, converse with their fellow SJCNY alumni, and most importantly give back to the community,” Schmidt said. “Service is one of the five pillars of St. Joseph’s College, and that mission should transcend and continue to be woven into the framework of our alumni post graduation. The Virtual Knitting Group is one of many ways alumni can give back and participate in an act of service.”
