Lydia Duran: A Stony Brook Humanitarian

By Erin McKinley

Growing up, Lydia Duran, 19, wanted a chalkboard so she could play teacher. This was the foundation for her desire to help kids and minorities.

When the Brooklyn native arrived at Stony Brook last year as a freshman, she knew she wanted to help people – but she didn’t know how or where to start. She took a class designed to show students leadership qualities and to introduce them to the Stony Brook community. It was here that Duran and four of her classmates formed the idea for a Habitat for Humanity club.

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit Christian housing ministry focused on eliminating poverty housing and homelessness. An estimated 14.4 million families are homeless or living in run-down houses, according to the Habitat for Humanity Foundation website. Based on the initiative of Duran and other key students, the Habitat for Humanity club being formed on campus has the ability to build suitable housing for families on Long Island. But it won't be easy.

The idea behind the club is simple: students raise money for the foundation and help build homes. In the past, Habitat for Humanity has built more than 250,000 homes worldwide, sheltering more than 1 million people, according to the foundation’s website.

A club with the potential to help so many people is what many would consider a daunting task. Not Duran. "I just want to help people; it's what I've always wanted to do."

This first generation college student got there with strict discipline and all the love her Hispanic parents could offer. Now, Duran is excelling in her schoolwork and hopes to set an example for her new baby sister.

"My target is minority groups because I am a minority myself. Given the environment they live in, it is easy to get discouraged from pursuing graduation and it is easy to get into conflict," Duran said. "I would love to help parents and their teenage kids through evaluation, advising and encouragement."

"This club is great for Lydia," said Michelle, Duran's roommate in H-Quad, "She always wants to be involved. It suits her and shows who she really is."

The club, which is aiming to be official next year, has set its sights on helping build houses in the Suffolk County area. Duran has been an integral part launching the club.

According to Catherine Horgan, the Habitat for Humanity club advisor, the enthusiasm that Duran has shown toward the project is key. Without the determination of Duran, the club would probably still be nothing more than an idea.

Still, it remains more idea than action. Duran said she had to fill out paperwork and attend three workshops in order for her club to even be considered. After she gets through that process, Habitat for Humanity will to have be considered and rationed into next year’s budget. Currently, there are 50 other organizations attempting to become legal clubs on campus for next semester.

Due to the large number of clubs already existing on campus and those trying to hop on board, money is an issue. With the budget cuts, factoring 50 new clubs into the budget means less money for everyone.

Yet Duran has never lost determination for the project.

"Lydia has been instrumental in organizing the club,” Horgan said, “and has worked diligently with the office of Student Activities to learn how to form a club and educate herself on the entire process. She has shown great initiative in working with Sister Margaret Landry on the mission of Habitat for Humanity. It is unlikely that the club would have been formed without Lydia's energy and persistence."

On campus, Duran's efforts are not going unnoticed. Sister Margaret Landry speaks very highly of the work that she is doing and her desire to make a difference.

Duran wants the club to become popular on campus. As long as students, including freshmen, know that there are places that can help them with community service, Duran said the club is serving its purpose, and her work is paying off.