SUNY Canton Holds “After the Fire” Presentation with Residence Hall Blaze Survivors
Two survivors of the Jan. 19, 2000 fire at Seton Hall University will be visiting SUNY Canton to discuss their perseverance, hope, inspiration, courage and friendship.
Alvaro Llanos and Shawn Simons will be screening the acclaimed documentary “After the Fire” and discussing their New York Times Best-Selling book at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19 in the Roos House Convocation Athletic and Recreation Center Field House.
Simons and Llanos will share their story of survival after their freshmen residence hall was set on fire as a fraternity prank gone wrong. Students can expect to learn fire safety tips as the speakers aim to inspire and motivate the audience.
The two speakers talk about their ordeal of being college burn survivors nationally at many colleges and high schools across the country. They also speak at conferences as well as at fire safety training seminars. Their motive is to be advocates for fire safety and prevention so that no other students will have to endure the pain that they suffered. Also, they strive to be the voice of many burn survivors across the country who may feel “trapped in their new skin.”
This is the second time that the highly acclaimed speakers have visited the campus. Their first presentation several years ago was so well received, both the Office of Residence Life and the Student Government Association decided to bring them back for a repeat engagement.
The event is free and open to all SUNY Canton students. Due to the popularity of this presentation, non-student visitors and community members are asked to RSVP with the SUNY Canton Office of Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership, 315-386-7315 or emailing ellis111@canton.edu.
Discover SUNY Canton, where innovation meets opportunity. The college’s career-focused educational programs emphasize hands-on and applied learning opportunities in digital design, engineering technology, health, information technology, management, public service, and veterinary technology. Faculty members bring real-world experience and exceptional academic expertise to the classroom. As a leader in online education, SUNY Canton offers unmatched flexibility with hundreds of courses and 23 comprehensive degree programs offered completely online. The SUNY Canton Kangaroos compete at the NCAA Division III level and will be transitioning to the SUNYAC in Fall 2024. In addition to its 15 traditional teams, SUNY Canton offers coed varsity esports and cheerleading.