Afghan refugees housed at Notre Dame de Namur University’s Belmont campus

NDNU said it is the first university on the West Coast to offer such a program. Other universities across the country have also offered housing to Afghan refugees, including the University of Maryland, the University of Tulsa, Colorado State University, Indiana University and Virginia Commonwealth University.

The pilot program is a partnership between NDNU, a private Catholic university, and two national organizations — Every Campus A Refuge and the International Rescue Committee.

Every Campus A Refuge is a nonprofit program based out of Guilford College in North Carolina to facilitate university partnerships with local refugee resettlement agencies, and the International Rescue Committee is a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development organization founded by Albert Einstein.

Together, the three partners “will collaborate to offer vital resources, including housing, food, and social support to refugees as they navigate the resettlement process,” according to a press release from the university.

“As a Catholic university dedicated to our founding core principles of social justice, we are delighted to answer the call to act upon our stated values and advance our mission,” NDNU President Beth Martin said. “NDNU is committed to being a leader in values-based higher education and call on our peer institutions to join us in this important effort.”

The International Rescue Committee’s Oakland director Jordane Tofighi emphasized their support for the pilot program.

“Afghan refugees escaped unimaginably dangerous circumstances during last year’s evacuation. As they begin to rebuild their lives here in Northern California, the support of our community is essential. We are grateful to NDNU for welcoming them to campus,” Tofighi said.