But once she arrived, Pavlock faced another obstacle: figuring out where she would live. With limited financial support and student loans that didn\u2019t cover her needs, stable housing was out of reach.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was one of the most depressing times in my life. I felt like I was in a hole I couldn\u2019t get out of,\u201d Pavlock said. \u201cI would rather move to another state and not have stable housing than stay in a situation where I felt suffocated. I felt like leaving was the only way I was going to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEducation is the only way I\u2019m going to be able to separate myself from my family and build a different life,\u201d she added. \u201cIf I have to be homeless to get an education, that\u2019s something I\u2019m going to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
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A shared space inside Dax House, an all-women residence that houses college students facing homelessness and housing insecurity.<\/p>\n
University of Mount Saint Vincent<\/p>\n
A holistic model: That\u2019s when Pavlock discovered Dax House<\/a>, an all-women residence in a convent that offers monthly rent for $250, year-round housing and wraparound support. While some colleges provide emergency housing, food pantries and other basic needs services, Dax House\u2014a partnership among the University of Mount Saint Vincent, Depaul USA<\/a> and the Sisters of Charity<\/a>\u2014provides students with housing, case management and a permanent address they can use to access social services.<\/p>\n Pavlock is one of more than 90 students that Dax House serves annually, most of them low-income, BIPOC, female and first-generation college students.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I first got the call, I thought it was a scam, to be completely honest,\u201d Pavlock said. \u201cIt felt like one of those job postings promising a million dollars for two hours of work.\u201d<\/p>\n Now a junior studying public policy, Pavlock is balancing an on-campus social media job, a tech internship and a run for student government president.<\/p>\n \u201cWithout [Dax House], I don\u2019t think I would be involved on campus at all,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019d have an internship, be in clubs or even have an on-campus job because I\u2019d have to work full-time just to support myself. Now I\u2019m actually able to do the things that will help progress my career.\u201d<\/p>\n The shared kitchen at Dax House.<\/p>\n University of Mount Saint Vincent<\/p>\n Dax House operates four residences in New York City with around 20 beds total. Students who participate in the program have a 94 percent persistence rate, according to Susan Burns, president of the University of Mount Saint Vincent.<\/p>\n For Burns, addressing student homelessness and housing insecurity through a long-term, holistic approach is rooted in the university\u2019s Catholic mission.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not just an issue of providing a bed,\u201d Burns said. \u201cIt\u2019s about changing students\u2019 trajectory and helping them prepare for the future beyond their time at the university.\u201d<\/p>\n Burns noted that Dax House is primarily run by Depaul USA and the Sisters of Charity rather than the university, which she said gives students a greater sense of independence and agency than traditional campus housing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted this to be a housing option that wasn\u2019t run directly by the university,\u201d she said. \u201cStudents already know what residence halls look like. This gives them an opportunity to experience greater independence while still receiving support through case management.\u201d<\/p>\n A bedroom at Dax House.<\/p>\n University of Mount Saint Vincent<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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