In and out of the classroom, student-led DEIJ initiatives have been created to support students and the entire community. Samples of that work include creating a tutoring and support opportunity for first-generation and minority students, showcasing the vibrancy of the Latinx community at Goucher, and student-created PSAs for meeting hostility with kindness.
Happy Homework Hour
Background
The Happy Homework Hour (HHH) was created because students wanted a community that would support them not only academically but also socially. The idea was to provide a space for conversation, tutoring, and support for all students but especially first-generation and minority students. Some students wanted a “low-key” location that allowed them to feel like they were just hanging out while doing homework. Others mentioned the need for academic support in challenging subjects.
The HHH officially started in Fall 2021 and was open to all students but geared toward Spanish-speaking students and first-generation college students. Tutors were junior and senior bilingual students in Spanish and English and offered tutoring in biology, chemistry, business/economics/accounting, and writing.
HHH is supported by the Goucher College library, the QR Center, and the Writing Center, in collaboration with Citlali Miranda-Aldaco, assistant professor, Hispanic and Latinx Studies.
Early Impact
During the first semester, the HHH took place once a week. For Spring 2022, the HHH held two sessions a week and was led by four bilingual students. During these sessions, students received tutoring and met other students. Sometimes, students simply joined the group for conversation or to do homework. Some students mentioned that the HHH gave them a sense of belonging; they were able to find a community that motivated them academically.
Attendance at the HHH sessions increased exponentially from 14 students in Fall 2021 to more than 45 in Fall 2022. HHH attendance has also impacted attendance to other academic tutoring services (QR, Writing Center, and SI sessions). Overall, the participation of students, the support from faculty, and collaboration among tutoring centers have increased.
Goals
The goals going forward are to continue creating community and building a stronger academic community, while focusing on the retention of Spanish-speaking and first-generation students and raising the graduation rate of these populations.
Eventually, the goal is to expand HHH to three times a week.
Current Schedule
Fall 2022: HHH runs Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Alice’s.
Tutors for biology/chemistry, writing, economics, and data analytics: Daniela Sedano (Spanish-English), Emily Strickland, Noah Moudarres, and Maryam Ahmed (bilingual).
LatinX Visibility
Background
LatinX Visibility started in Fall 2021 and was created based on Latinx students’ concerns of lack of visibility. They wanted to be able to identify with other students, staff, and faculty in Goucher College. The idea was to get and share pictures of the amazing diversity of the Latinx community in order to create a more welcoming environment for Latinx students. The program, fostered by Assistant Professor Citlali Miranda-Aldaco, is geared toward the whole Goucher College population to provide a face for the Latinx community.
The first step was to identify Bersabé Shuman-Fletcher as the photographer. Students then spread news of the project by word-of-mouth. This created a snowball effect in picture taking and connecting. The first pictures were shared via Instagram and focused on senior students for the Spring 2022 semester. From those, Bersabé presented the pictures of the majors in Spanish and posted them on the wall of Julia Rogers (second floor, between the copier room and JR 277).
To continue this program, pictures taken of juniors, sophomores, and first-year students were saved to be shared on Instagram. A new first-year student, Brianna Aguilar, will continue to take pictures of our Latinx population and connect those students together.
Impact
More Latinx students are connecting with each other and creating community with the whole college. They have mentioned they do not feel as isolated.
Goals
An eventual goal is to have pictures of our Latinx students published or shown on different digital screens at the college, to further their connections with each other and a warm, welcoming campus environment.
Creating a PSA for Meeting Hostility With Kindness
Background
Goucher has great students who want to promote change. They deserve the chance to share their work with others in their community.
This was a project for PSY 230: Social Psychology (Spring 2022), taught by Psychology Lecturer Jessica Stansbury, to counter stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.
In this project, students created public service announcements around fostering peace. They had to discuss the impact of conflict resolution and the implications for an ideal world of “What if all hostility was met with kindness?” This had to include interviews and a multimedia presentation.
The Assignment
Students were given the following information for the creation of their PSA:
Your task is to create a Hostility Meets Kindness PSA using your textbook and other related resources. This PSA should focus on making individuals aware of the negatives of living in a state of hostility or conflict and what may happen if instead of meeting that hostility with more hostility, we met the hostility with kindness. We could make the world a better place…if you believe that is possible. A PSA is a brief public service announcement usually in the form of an advertisement.
PSAs Created by Students
Josh Anderson & Rhyan Orenstein: PSA on antisemitism (click on the audio button in the corner of the video to hear sound)
Sarah Schultheis: PSA on bullying
Alyssa Henderson: PSA on antisemitism
Brianna Hitchrock & Kaylee Bolger: PSA on racism
Gelila Assefa: PSA on Title IX (scroll down to PSA)