Donations pay students debt
November 16, 1995
A real life production with the same message of giving has already been acted out at SIUC even though the theater department’s first performance of the classic play A Christmas Carol does not premiere until tonight, a theater professor says.
Joe Chimwenje, an African graduate student in theater, will no longer have to worry about debt he incurred to fund a trip back to his daughter’s funeral in Malawi last week. Thanks to donations from concerned individuals from across the campus and country, Chimwenje’s bill will be paid in full, the professor says.
Chimwenje learned early last week that his daughter of 10 months, who was born after he left Malawi to study at SIUC, died from an allergic reaction to a fever shot. Several donations and a short-term loan from the University made it possible for Chimwenje to travel home to the funeral.
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Now, Alex Chrestopoulos, a theater professor, says the debt from the loan has been paid off by donations which continued to flow in after local media reported Chimwenje’s story last week.
One of the projects we (the theater department) are doing right now is A Christmas Carol,’ Chrestopoulos said. At this time of the year which is supposed to be the time of giving people really brought the message of the play to life through their gifts.
Chrestopoulos said several donations from University departments, concerned citizens and one donor, who read about Chimwenje on his computer screen via the internet version of the Daily Egyptian, will pay off the $1,500 loan from the SIUC financial aid office.
It’s all taken care of, Chrestopoulus said. Thanks to the generosity of many, we can all feel very uplifted.
Chrestopoulos said the department does not expect Chimwenje to return to SIUC until January when the student is expected to finish his thesis.
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