Career Chat with Brandi Ferrara

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Brandi Ferrara met with students at the IC center to help answer any questions they might have about their career goals, scholarships, application essays, alum connections and job opportunities. Brandi is the Director of the Salisbury Center for Career, Professional and Experiential Learning.As a Johnson & Wales University alum with a master’s degree in teaching and a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Brandi helps students explore career options and works with those interested in applying to graduate school. This event is one of the many that she conducts to help students with all of their career goals.

“I’m so thankful that HWS offers such amazing workshops like this to students. As a first year, I haven’t attended them all, but am so excited to explore all of the amazing opportunities offered here at the Colleges!” – Katie Taylor, WS 2020

Seniors Speak Out

HWS seniors met with underclassmen this past Thursday, September 22 to pass on advice that they’ve learned over the course of their past few years on campus. This was a great opportunity for younger students to meet with seniors to introduce themselves and ask any questions they may have about classes, programs and insight regarding HWS life. The event was hosted in the Wasey Lounge in the Scandling Dinner, and dessert was shared.

“As a first year, I feel much more confident moving forward.” Katie Taylor, WS ’20

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LGBTQ and Allies Meet and Greet

The LGBTQ & Allies group on campus is a collection of faculty and staff who together work toward improving the campus culture around LGBTQ issues. The main goal is to increase support, inclusivity and awareness.

The HWS community offers many different forms of support in order to create a safe space for all students and faculty. Beginning this Fall 2016, there is now a Queer People of Color and Allies (QPoC) theme house offered on campus, founded by Chanel Andrews ’19, Denzel Degollado ’19 and Ethan leon ’19 to create a safe and inclusive space for the entire LGBTQ+ community. There is a list online offering the names and forms of contact of the LGBTQ members, which is always accessible for students. The IC is also always a welcoming, inclusive space for all students. Read here about more resources and support groups on campus.

Snack & Share

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The Snack and Share at the IC house was hosted over Parents Weekend, welcoming all students and their families to stop by. The Strategic Diversity Planning Committee, a group of HWS students and faculty, also attended the event to help promote diversity and awareness.

“Creating a safe, welcoming, inclusive environment for all students has to be a priority here at HWS. The Strategic Diversity Planning Committee is working to insure that the voices and momentum calling for change from students, faculty and staff is put into action. President Mark Gearan has charged the SDP with synthesizing and prioritizing goals for a more inclusive, diverse, equitable campus. The HWS Office of Diversity and Inclusion for the SDP Committee will be hosting a series of Town Hall meetings in October. Please join in the conversation! Your insight into setting the goals and priorities for HWS is essential.” Mary Kelly, Associate Professor of Education, Strategic Diversity Planning Committee member

Summer Time Happenings & Experiences

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This past summer Cody Rivera, H’17, interned at the Foster Club All Star headquarters in Seaside, Oregon. The Foster Club works with young people in and from foster care to help inspire them to be the greatest they can be. Their Mission is to help young people, “become connected, educated, inspired and represented so they can realize their personal potential and contribute to a better life from their peers.” The All-Star Internship is based on the idea that those who successfully transitioned through foster care are able to connect with younger people still trying to transition. The interns receive leadership training, help improve foster youth outcomes, educate peers and industry professionals and work to change public perceptions about foster youth.

“During this past summer, I interned at the Foster Club All Star headquarters in Seaside, Oregon. The Foster Club All Star Internship is an internship program for foster youth who have successfully transitioned out of foster care and who can assist in the transition for other foster youth out of foster care in America. For the two weeks that I have been at the Foster Club Headquarters, I have gone through intensive leadership and public speaking training, while also learning about the foster care system at the federal level. Next week I will be attending my first conference, in Los Angeles, where I will be leading a workshop on sibling connections and youth-adult partnerships, to foster youth who are transitioning to college.” Cody Rivera, Hobart 2017

Students at the IC

Benny Calderon Ho ’19 and Aleem Mohammed ’19 enjoying the beautiful summer weather on the IC porch.

IC Visit with Professor Elana Jefferson-Tatum and Tremayne D. Robertson

Students spent time visiting and mingling with both Professor Elana Jefferson-Tatum, Africana studies, and Tremayne D. Robertson, Deputy Title IX Coordinator. They welcomed the two staff members to the IC house and showed them around the office.

Professor Elana Jefferson-Tatum is the Postdoctoral Fellow of Africana Studies. She recently earned her Ph.D. in religious studies from Emory University in 2016 and was awarded the John Fenton Prize in the Comparative Study of Religion. Dr. Jefferson-Tatum is interested in examining theoretical and methodological issues in the study of religion and Africana religious cultures. This Fall 2016 she is teaching Foundations of Africana Studies and Africana Sacred Matters.

Tremayne D. Robertson recently began working at the Title IX office on campus. He works to provide education, training and proactive strategies to increase awareness of civil rights, reporting options and Title IX response. Robertson attended Syracuse University and plans to receive his Ph.D. this coming 2017 through his study in Cultural Foundations of Education.

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“We greatly appreciate the warm invitation and tour of the IC. We are happy to collaborate and support your office in any way that we can.

The IC is a welcoming and warm space for students to study, build connections and have critical dialogue about important topics. The IC is an invaluable vehicle for personal and professional development for all students, faculty and staff at HWS.” Tremayne D. Robertson, Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Office of Title IX Programs and Compliance

“As a black woman raised by a single black mother, the kitchen table was a scared space– a place where my mind, body and soul were affirmed and a place where I grew into my black womanhood. I was reminded of that sacred space upon enter the ICC, where the kitchen table too, serves as a place of connection, reflection, and restoration.” Professor Elena Jefferson-Tatum, Ph.D, Visiting Assistant Professor of Africana Studies

Clubs Planning Dinner

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The CGSJC (Cultural, Global and Social Justice Clubs) gathered at the IC this past Sunday, September 11 to organize and collaborate their schedules to create events hosted by multiple organizations. All clubs work together to support and help each other with events, and this is a perfect example of the community on campus.

“The planning dinner was an excellent opportunity to watch clubs discuss ways they can collaborate across communities! Being a part of the discussion and calendar planning gave me more insight into the amount of thought clubs put into picking dates and working together!” Christine Lucht, Assistant Director, Office of Student Activities

Rural Migrant Ministry Visitors

Richard Witt and Gabriela Quintanilla

Richard Witt, executive director of the Rural Migrant Ministry, and his daughter, Gabriela Quintanilla, director of ADELANTE, both visited the IC. Witt came to share his organization, the Rural Migrant Ministry. This organization is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization that has thirty five years experience of welcoming interns to join in on the program’s farmworker and youth empowerment.

Read more about the organization here!

Gabriela works with ADELANTE and explains the different programs this organization provides. ADELANTE enables rising sophomore and junior high school students with resources to higher education by providing them with a safe space to ask and answer questions about the college process as it relates to their undocumented status.

“Student voices is a 7 day summer program for undocumented high school students in the Hudson Valley. Through ADELINE, students learn about the college process as it relates to their undocumented status. The past summer was the first year of the program. Student went to different college tours, to universities and colleges that are undocumented friendly. At the same time we had speakers to educate students on how to apply to college and different scholarships. Most importantly our goal is to empower students to become self advocates.” Gabriela Quintanilla, Director of ADELANTE

Read more about this organization here!

Welcoming Reception and Open House

Thursday, September 8th, HWS students had the opportunity to stop by the IC House for a Welcoming Reception and Open House. Students, familiar with the IC, those becoming accustomed with the house, as well as alumni, all came by for good company, delicious food, and wonderful conversation.

Julia Hoyce WS ’11, Gabrielle Perez WS ’12 and Laura Alexander WS ‘ 14, all alums, also stopped by the event to catch up with everyone since they’ve left campus.