Campus & Community

Yalies run by the hundreds to benefit refugee resettlement in New Haven

Students and affiliates from Yale College and across campus participated in the annual IRIS 5K charity race on Feb. 2.

1 min read
  • Team Berkley College at the Run for Refugees
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    Team Berkley College at the Run for Refugees
  • The Yale Undergraduate Gospel Choir sings “The New Colossus.”
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    The Yale Undergraduate Gospel Choir sings “The New Colossus” to officially kick off the race. (Photo credit: Lucy Gellman)
  • Yale Undergraduate Gospel Choir
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    (Photo credit: John Curtis)
  • Mayor Justin Elicker ’10 FES/SOM delivers remarks.
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    Mayor Justin Elicker ’10 FES/SOM delivers remarks. (Photo credit: John Curtis)
  • A runner from Saybrook College breaks a sweat.
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    A runner from Saybrook College breaks a sweat. (Photo credit: John Curtis)
  • Yale staffer Rachel Mihalko
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    Yale staffer Rachel Mihalko waves for the camera. (Photo credit: Lucy Gellman)
  • Runners at the Run for Refugees
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    (Photo credit: Lucy Gellman)
  • A runner in a pineapple costume
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    Why not a pineapple? (Photo credit: Lucy Gellman)
  • A runner wearing the Jonathan Edwards College coat of arms crosses the finish line.
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    A runner wearing the Jonathan Edwards College coat of arms crosses the finish line. (Photo credit: John Curtis)
  • Team Morse College
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    Team Morse College
  • Team Trumbull College
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    Team Trumbull College sports custom t-shirts made for the race.
  • Team Pauli Murray College
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    Team Pauli Murray College
  • SOM students
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    A team of runners from the School of Management (Photo credit: Hil Moss ’21)
  • Team Yale Child Health, made up of members from the Child Study Center and the Department of Pediatrics
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    Team Yale Child Health, made up of members from the Child Study Center and the Department of Pediatrics
  • Runners pose
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    (Photo credit: John Curtis)
  • Team Trumbull College enjoys some post-run treats.
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    Team Trumbull College enjoys some post-run treats. (Photo credit: Surbhi Bharadwaj ’20)

Each year, New Haven’s Integrated Refugee and Immigration Services (IRIS), a non-profit that provides relocation assistance to refugees and asylum seekers, holds a “Run for Refugees” 5K road race as its main annual fundraiser. On Sunday, Feb. 2 — thanks in no small part to hundreds of Yalies — they had their largest turnout yet.

Among the 3,200 runners and walkers were undergraduates representing each of Yale College’s residential colleges, students from Yale’s professional and graduate schools, and other affiliates from across campus and the wider community.

In addition, members of The Yale Refugee Project worked to recruit runners ahead of the race and volunteered to help make the event a success. The Yale Undergraduate Gospel Choir kicked off the race with a performance of Emma Lazarus’ poem, “The New Colossus,” which is cast in bronze at the base of the Statue of Liberty.

The event raised close to $200,000 for IRIS. Learn more about IRIS or donate online at their website.

Campus & Community