Even in Nepal, SPS is All Around

Coley Cassidy ’24 is volunteering at the nonprofit co-founded by Trevor Patzer ’92

BY KATE DUNLOP

As a student at St. Paul’s School, Coley “CC” Cassidy ’24 was known as someone who saw the chance to try something new as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery.

Now a sophomore at Wesleyan University, where she’s majoring in studio art and government, Cassidy is studying abroad for a semester in Kathmandu, Nepal, and living with a Tibetan homestay family.

Even that far from home, however, the St. Paul’s School community is helping to shape her experience with an open heart.

When Cassidy was accepted into the School for International Training program in Kathmandu, she thought of the man who had addressed the Form of 2024 at Baccalaureate the day before they graduated from St. Paul’s: Trevor Patzer ’92. Patzer co-founded the nonprofit Little Sisters Fund, which supports thousands of at-risk Nepali girls each year by providing opportunity through safety, education, mentoring and empowerment.

“When he spoke during my Graduation weekend, I was deeply moved,” Cassidy says. Last December, she asked Patzer about volunteering at the nonprofit during her time in Nepal and he welcomed her interest. Each weekend, Cassidy helps the Little Sisters write letters to the sponsors who make their education possible and serves as a panelist in weekly sessions, answering questions about being a woman in higher education and sharing her love for art, which she considers a form of self-care and expression.

Cassidy finds that spending time with the girls is incredibly meaningful.

“Despite the economic barriers many of them face, they bring remarkable creativity, determination and joy to everything they do. The resilience and optimism they exude has made each of these girls a role model to me,” she says. “Through their commitment to education, the Little Sisters are not only working toward their own futures but also creating opportunities for their families and communities.”

Taking the initiative to reach out to Patzer opened up a whole new dimension to Cassidy’s semester in Nepal, creating additional opportunities for growth and self-discovery beyond her studies and travels.

“I’m deeply grateful for the St. Paul’s connection,” she says. “Trevor is certainly contributing to the greater good. I admire his selfless generosity and have had the privilege to see the difference that the Little Sisters Fund has made in the lives of so many girls. Even here in Nepal, St. Paul’s is all around.”

Read more about Cassidy’s SPS experience here.