Striving to Help Others during the Coronavirus Crisis

Statistics major Brody Receveur (right) and his parents invited computer science sophomore Nawaf Alshathri to live with them in Hampton, Virginia, for the rest of the semester because Alshathri couldn't make it back to his home in Saudi Arabia. Photo provided

Mason Engineering students used their innovative skills to solve more than engineering problems. They came up with creative ways to perform random acts of kindness, both big and small, during the coronavirus outbreak. Statistics major Brody Receveur and his family invited computer science sophomore Nawaf Alshathri to stay with them for the second half of the semester. The students are friends who lived in the same residence hall at Mason. When classes went virtual after spring break, Receveur was at home with his parents in Hampton, Virginia, while Alshathri was on campus because he couldn’t get back to his home in Saudi Arabia. Receveur asked his parents if Alshathri could come live with them for a while, and they agreed. Receveur returned to the Fairfax Campus to pick up Alshathri. When they weren’t taking their classes online or studying, the two worked out together, walked on the beach, and played board games with the family. “I taught him how to make Yankee cornbread and steaks,” says Receveur. “He’s gardening with my mom (April), and my dad (Tim) talked to him about the history of our area.” Alshathri says he enjoyed his time with the Receveur family. “Tough times make the best qualities of people shine,” he says. “The Receveurs have been caring and kind. They took me in during this period of uncertainty, and they taught me valuable life skills.”

CREATING FACE SHIELDS FOR HOSPITAL PERSONNEL Mechanical engineering junior Dhawal Bhanderi used his entrepreneurial spirit to help protect some of society’s heroes during the coronavirus crisis. He made protective face shields with his 3D printer from his family’s home in Virginia Beach while he finished his classes remotely in the spring. “I donated the face shields to two local hospitals where workers are on the front lines fighting the pandemic,” Bhanderi says. By running his 3D printer all day, he says, “I can produce 20 quality shields a week, and while it may not sound like a great deal, the medical staff appreciated having this kind of personal protective equipment.” Each face shield cost him between 75 cents and $1.50 to make. He bought the supplies for the shields from the money he makes from his hobby of buying used electronics online, then fixing and reselling them. Bhanderi has learned that “however small, anyone can find ways to make a world of difference for someone else.”

Mechanical engineering junior Dhawal Bhanderi made protective face shields for hospital personnel with his 3D printer. Photo provided

Arash Touhidi, a senior in electrical engineering, gave his recent paycheck to a Mason alumna who is struggling financially. Photo provided

PAYING IT FORWARD When Arash Touhidi, a senior in electrical engineering, heard about a Mason alumna and friend who was struggling financially in part due to the coronavirus outbreak, he knew he wanted to help. “Although it wasn’t much, I gave her the money from my recent paycheck from my work at the Bioinspired Robotics and Intelligent Control Lab so that she can get by,” he says. “I live with my mom so I don’t have many bills, except for a car payment and insurance.” “I’m still texting with my friend, and we’re offering each other moral support,” Touhidi says.

—Nanci Hellmich

Angelica Watson, a senior in mechanical engineering, has been performing random acts of kindness daily, including calling to check on her grandmother. Photo provided

Mechanical engineering major Vineet Nair sent emails to faculty thanking them for preparing over spring break to teach classes online. Photo provided

SENDING A WORD OF THANKS Vineet Nair, a senior in mechanical engineering, sent emails to several faculty members and staff thanking them for going the extra mile to make online learning work. “I can’t imagine how hard it was for them to prepare to do this in a week or so,” he says. “They tried to give us our money’s worth and give us the tools we need when we graduate.”

REACHING OUT VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON Angelica Watson, a mechanical engineering senior, called her grandmother every day to remind her to stay home and be safe.

Watson also went to the grocery store to get supplies for her family. “One day when I went looking for some cleaning supplies, there was an older lady in the store who couldn’t reach the bleach on a higher shelf, so I passed her two bottles of it,” she says. “I also saw a lady looking for toilet paper, and I gave her a pack of wipes that I had picked up.... It’s the little things that warm people’s hearts.”

Jason Nembhard has been passing on personal safety information he learned from his mother, a nurse. Photo provided SHARING SAFETY INSIGHTS Jason Nembhard, a senior in systems engineering, says a friend of his became alarmed when someone in his building in Arlington was diagnosed with COVID-19. “I reached out to him to talk about what he’s going through and suggested ways he can keep himself safe,” Nembhard says. “I was able to pass along the personal safety information I had learned from my mom, who is a nurse at Inova Fairfax Hospital. He went to work cleaning and disinfecting his apartment.”

Ivory Sarceno, a mechanical engineering major, is sending funny stories to her family in the United States and Guatemala. Photo provided KEEPING FAMILY CONNECTED Ivory Sarceno, a senior in mechanical engineering, has been doing her best to stay in touch with her family in Guatemala and the United States while practicing social distancing. Everyone is stressed out, and during this time, laughter is still the best medicine, she says. “I’ve started a family group chat with 11 members through WhatsApp where my family can share memes and uplifting stories, and most importantly, our love and support for each other.”