Southwestern College senior Andrei St. Vistal will be going to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in June on an internship he earned from Fondation Enfant Jesus (FEJ)-USA.  He will stay in Haiti through the month of July. 

The opportunity to serve Haitian children is important to St. Vistal.  His parents were born in Haiti but he was raised in Farrockaway, N.Y.  He grew up speaking Haitian Creole, the official language in Haiti, which will be very helpful according to Lillian Dukes, vice president of the FEJ-USA board.  

“It’s not very often that we get an intern who can speak Haitian Creole so we are very excited to have someone of Andrei’s caliber joining us for a few months,” Dukes says.  “Since Andrei has a passion for working with children we will have an opportunity to have him assist us with the children in our orphanage and our primary school.”

St. Vistal came to Southwestern College after two years at Central Georgia Technical College where he earned an associate’s degree in business management and early childhood education.  He admits that when he came to Southwestern he was very reserved and kept to himself.  But now he says he has found his calling and that is to be a leader.  He is a member of the Southwestern College men’s basketball team but does not get into many games.  He has embraced his role on the bench and knows the importance of it.  He will return to the team next season as he has one more year of eligibility.  He also plans on earning a master’s degree from Southwestern. 

“I am a motivator, I was born to be a leader.  Not a lot of players want to be on the bench, and I know we have stars on the court but the bench does matter," he says. "If my job is to cheer and encourage my team, then that is what I am going to do. At the end of the day I think there is going to be a bigger prize.”
Southwestern men’s basketball head coach Matt O’Brien likes what St. Vistal brings to his team and the college. 

“Andrei is the type of person who brings positive energy everywhere he goes,” O’Brien says.   “We are fortunate to have him as a student athlete at Southwestern.”

St. Vistal got interested in the internship because of the advice of Dawn Pleas, vice president for retention and student success at Southwestern College.  St. Vistal completed an Arabic course last year and Pleas thought an internship to Saudi Arabia would be good for him.  After some thought, she changed her mind and said Haiti was the place to go.

“Dr. Dawn saw something in me; she said I have a gift and that people follow me,” St. Vistal says.  “I would have never thought that I could use one of my talents that I was born with to help people out.” 

St. Vistal’s mom died a couple of years ago but she remains a large influence in his life.

“She is my number one motivator for this whole adventure,” St. Vistal says.  “She was the backbone in my life. She kept saying ‘Andrei keep on going.’  I didn’t graduate high school on time because I was having difficulty in the streets but she kept encouraging me.  She always said the sun is going to shine bright and you are going to do something great. This is it right here and I know she is looking down on me and is happy that I am doing this.”

According to Dukes, at the time of St. Vistal’s visit FEJ-USA will also be working on the opening of the new William Jefferson Clinton Children’s Center.  

“We would love to utilize some of Andrei’s skills for that initiative,” Dukes says. 

St. Vistal is looking forward for the opportunity to help the children of Haiti. 

"They (FEJ) were looking for someone who could translate and work with kids,” St. Vistal says.   “I speak Haitian Creole and French, and my parents were from Haiti.  I never thought of going to Haiti but my dad thought it would be a good opportunity for me and we can build houses and soccer fields and teach kids how to speak English.  I am nervous and excited at the same time.  I need to step outside my box and I am looking forward to helping the kids out and letting them know that they have the chance to make their lives better.  I want to be their shining light.”