Sean’s Traveling Trunk

Sean’s Traveling Trunk & Saturday School Children

This old trunk originated in Germany and traveled by way of steamer ship across the Atlantic carrying the treasured items of new immigrants from the old country to United States of America.  This trunk now functions to commemorate the life of Sean Francis Ryan ’07, Geneseo Alumni.  Sean loved children and dedicated his college career towards becoming a teacher. He earned a B.S. degree in Childhood Education in May 2007.  On his way towards earning his Master’s degree in Literacy and specializing in becoming a reading teacher, Sean’s life was sadly cut short by a terrible accident.  Though Sean will not live on to become the awesome teacher that so many hoped for, his dream and love of literacy will continue through Sean’s Traveling Trunk.  With the generous gifts of his friends and family, this trunk will travel many miles in his stead to schools, libraries, reading clinics and will be filled with interesting and relevant books for children and young adults.

SUNY Geneseo’s Xerox Center utilizes the generous book fund donation from the Sean Ryan family and friends to operate the on-going Saturday School Program for 30-40 Rochester City School District middle school to high school children 11-16years old.

picture  of Urban Practicum at the Central  Rochester Public Library

The Saturday School Program began in Fall 2007 and has run each semester at the downtown Rochester Public Library on South Avenue. The aim of the Saturday School program is to provide academic follow-up for our Rochester cohort of 60 students who enroll in our two week residential summer camp called Rochester Young Scholars Academy at Geneseo (RYSAG).  The evolution of the Saturday School Program has created a “Geneseo in the City” community.  Most Saturdays during the academic year, a cadre of Geneseo College students travels to the Rochester Public Library to befriend and encourage the academic and personal growth of Rochester youth involved in RYSAG.   We strive to create authentic relationship with students outside of school in our related academic settings.  The goals for our Saturday School Program are to promote independent and critical thinking skills and help kids graduate from high school and enroll in college; another goal is to train and orient pre-service teachers towards an urban centered culturally relevant school curriculum. 

Through Sean’s Traveling Trunk of culturally relevant books for urban kids, college students will encourage RSCD students to read, reflect and engage students in critical thinking.  Thanks to the Ryan family and friends our weekly program engages children in literacy skills and our college students in improving their teaching abilities.

Donations to the Sean's Traveling Trunk program can be processed by checks made payable to SUNY Geneseo Foundation and mailed to the following address:

College Advancement

SUNY Geneseo

Erwin Building, room 11

Geneseo, NY 14454

Please indicate that you would like your donation to be made to Xerox Center/Sean's Traveling Trunk.

Questions about the program, please contact Susan Norman, 585-245-5129; Questions about your donation, please contact Shiellee Adams at 585-245-5518.