While at Siena, I have had the pleasure to know Donna McIntosh. She is an amazing professor and advisor. In these years that I have known her, she has taught me so much about life, social work and advocating. Donna is a true inspiration to everyone she touches.
For those who do not already know Donna McIntosh, she is a professor and the department chair for the Social Work Department. She herself is also a social worker. But most importantly, she is a human being. To her, being a human being is more important than any title that anyone could receive.
Fun fact: She is a Buffalo Bills fan. Every year she goes to Buffalo for a game. Donna is in absolute love with Buffalo, she thinks it’s an amazing place.
Donna is an advocate for so many groups. She is an advocate for the following: homeless youth, human rights, mother nature, and mental health. This is why she is an advocate for these groups:
Homeless Youth: Donna believes that no one should be discarded.
Human Rights: No one should be denied any right that others may have.
Mother Nature: Years from now the Earth will no longer be safe to live in unless we make a change now. We need to begin protecting the Earth for our future generations.
Mental Health: A while ago, Donna lost one of her college friends to suicide. Her friend had a mental illness that people did not pay much attention to, many people today still do not pay attention to those who are suffering.
Donna has organized lobby days for the New York State Social Work Education Association. She has been to Washington D.C. to march for the animals. In 1984, Donna became a vegetarian. As of right now, she is currently halfway through to receiving a graduate certificate in Environmental Sustainability. Fun fact: Donna has not received a grade lower than a 98!
I asked her what she loves most about advocating. She told me that she loves the feeling of winning funds and raising awareness of issues that many overlook. To her, it’s very empowering and she loves helping students find their voice. Everyone has a voice, it’s just a matter of needing to act on it. When advocating, the feeling inside feels like coming home. Advocating is more than a job. It is a right and a privilege in free society to use your voice for change. There is a fire in one’s belly that one cannot feel from the sidelines. Donna says that it is important to find a passion and care for something that is greater than ourselves.
Before Siena College, Donna was a social worker for several different populations and for different kinds of needs. At Hudson Valley, she was a teacher for the human service program. For a while, she still worked part-time there while full time here at Siena. Donna chose Siena because it was a full-time position, it is in her backyard, and at the time, her younger sister was a Psychology major here. I then asked her what she loved about Siena; she told me that she loves how it is a small community so it easy to know all of her students and the alumni, she loves that the college is Franciscan, that there are friars among us, and the friars share some of the same values as her. What Donna loves most about her job is the fact that she is preparing new social workers for the profession. Donna says that she has amazing colleagues and that the department is great.
In three years Donna will be retiring from Siena. I asked her what she will be doing once she leaves Siena. Donna will keep advocating, she would like to be a volunteer for environmental work, which includes running for a seat on the local zoning and planning board. Once she leaves, her main focus is going to be the Earth.
When away from Siena, Donna enjoys listening to blues music, walking her dog Tula, reading, and taking pictures of abandoned cars and houses. She also enjoys social justice and flowers. Donna loves any place that is outside but her favorite places are Wellesley Island and Thousand Islands (these have amazing trails), and the St. Lawrence River. Any place with mountains, like Yellowstone, is her favorite place to be. If she could go anywhere with all expenses paid, she would go to Greece because of the beautiful landscape and the ancient history.
Now I am all for random questions in interviews. In this interview, I asked her, “If you could be any shoe, what shoe would you be and why?” Donna’s answer? “Ruby Red Slippers because we all need a little magic in our lives.”
As a last minute comment, Donna told me that it is important to have laughter in life. Do not be afraid to laugh at yourself. Sure, college is about work but it is also about fun. Also, we share this world with other things and they also have a right to live on this Earth. “Be responsible to Mother Earth.”
Photo Credit: Donna McIntosh