Conference Sessions
Day 4: Thursday, Jan. 28th, 2021
9:00 - 10:00 AM: Re-Entry: Best Practices for Students Impacted by the Carceral System, by Hanan Al-Zubaidy
This proposal will provide attendees with the understanding of mass incarceration and the ripple effects of mass incarceration on our students. Education has had a positive impact on reducing recidivism for individuals touched by the carceral system. In the state of Washington, the DOC partners with local community college to provide education inside, bridging the gap. This proposal will look at the benefits of such a program, as well as the ways college campuses can work to be equitable for formerly incarcerated students.
10:15 - 11:15 AM: Making Room for Our Experiences with Journey Mapping, by Jenesis Long
Journey maps are a helpful tool to understand and improve the experiences of the many diverse peoples who interact with our offices and services, including ourselves. During this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to create journey maps and user personas then apply these techniques to your work. Whether you work with students, faculty, community members, or others, join us for a hands-on learning experience and leave with templates and additional resources.
11:30 - 12:30 PM: strategies for Retaining Foster Youth in Higher Education Institutions, by Sara Spiers
Youth in foster care want and expect to go to college, yet they often do not have access to the same support and resources as their peers to be successful. Obstacles appear in both access and retention. The dropout rate is higher for foster care alumni than for the general population, and only 2-9% of youth in foster care earn a bachelor’s degree compared to 28% of their non-foster care peers. In this presentation, we will describe postsecondary access and retention obstacles for youth with foster care experience. Next, we highlight programs and practices universities are implementing on their campus to support these youth. We will conclude by strategizing with attendees potential action items they can implement on their campus for youth with foster care experience.
2:00 - 3:00 PM: Reflections of Resilience: This is How We Persist, by Kim McAloney & Ruta Faifaiese
*In this session, we’d like to center voices of marginalized identities (race, class, sexual orientation, gender, ability etc.) as speakers. If you do not identify with the groups above and would like to join, please come to listen.
One way we persist is through the power of our voice. This open mic session is a space for OWHE attendees to share and/or listen to other participants’ reflections of resiliance. Attendees may choose to present spoken word, poetry, or songs.
3:15 - 4:15 PM: Finding Harmony in the Work-Life Balancing Act, by Becky Tuttle
How do we maintain our sense of self while striving to be the perfect professional, partner, and/or parent? This session will focus on strategies to celebrate our capabilities and conquer feelings of guilt and inadequacy. When life sends a curveball (2020 was not shy with throwing those at us!), we often need to pivot and adapt. Yet change can shift the work-life balance, so how do we find support and sanity during periods of adjustment? We will discuss methods of gaining momentum for forward and upward movement on the career front while maintaining harmony at home and within oneself.