New Resource from Every Campus a Refuge (ECAR)

Posted by Every Campus a Refuge (ECAR) on October 31, 2023

A new guide is available for higher education institutions seeking to welcome and support refugees on campus, as well as engage surrounding communities on refugee issues.

The AHLAN Manual (ahlan is an Arabic term to express welcome) was created and published by Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR). The guide is sponsored by Welcoming America’s Fund to Foster Belonging and the Refugee Resettlement Initiative of the National Association of System Heads (NASH).

Based on research conducted by Guilford College faculty and students, the guide provides context on the refugee resettlement process in the U.S., how to find and build a pool of advocates, tools and resources for students, staff, faculty, and administrators to map out a refugee “ecosystem” on campus and in the local community.

Founded in 2015, Every Campus A Refuge’s mission is to mobilize colleges and universities to host refugees on campus grounds and support their successful integration. Since ECAR’s inception, 16 campuses including Lafayette College, Wake Forest University, Russell Sage College, Siena College, Washington State University, Old Dominion University, James Madison University, and Clemson University among others have started their own ECAR Chapters. ECAR has been recognized by the White House, the United Nations, and with several higher education community engagement awards. In addition to mobilizing universities to support refugee families, ECAR is a member of the U.S. Department of State’s Welcome Corps on Campus consortium, and will be supporting private sponsor groups at colleges and universities as they sponsor refugee students.

To view and download the manual, click here to fill out the Google Form to receive the toolkit.