WISE is a high-impact mentoring and early intervention program that began at Shepherd University as a PILOT program in the fall of 2020. WISE now has over 70 student members who are engaged in the knowledge-building and growth processes of the project. The primary goal is to improve student retention, enhance social and cultural capital, improve access to textbooks and course materials, and boost the academic achievement of minority students in ways that empower them as prepared students and future mentors and advocates for social change.
Through proactive formal mentor and mentee relationship building, this project pairs Shepherd students with experienced leaders for participation in a variety of enriching events on and off-campus.
The Office for Diversity and Equity will also actively recruit junior and senior-level (also graduate-level if possible) college students (including graduate students) from populations to mentor, support, and model excellence for incoming students who are typically members of under-served or marginalized groups. These upper-class students and leaders will help our younger students with networking, enhance study plans, increase participation in diversity and inclusion activities, and boost knowledge building and leadership skill development.
The Office for Diversity and Equity, campus organizations, student-led department clubs and organizations, the Byrd Legislative Center, and Shepherd’s Multicultural Leadership Team will provide support to mentors and mentees. Participants will complete activities to receive the “Leadership for a Better World” certificate to develop their consciousness of self, others, and our society by focusing on eight core values of a Social Change Model (self-consciousness, congruence, commitment, collaboration, common purpose, civility, citizenship, and change). The Office for Diversity and Equity and WISE team will also host WISE TALK, monthly topic-focused discussion sessions where mentors and mentees share and unpack experiences that center on their unique experiences on campus.
Fall 2022 WISE TALK Schedule (Coming soon!)
Spring 2022 and Fall 2021 events are listed below to help students grasp the types of experiences that WISE Talk has offered.
Date | Time(s) | Location | Event | Speaker | Theme | Competencies |
Wednesday, February 9, 2022 | 1:10 pm | White Hall (209) | WISE Talk 1 – Consent Week | Tessa Chafin | Title IX and Respect | Congruence |
Wednesday, February 16, 2022 | 1:10 pm | White Hall (209) | WISE Talk 2 – “Breaking Down Barriers” | Sydney Clayton | Boundaries | Congruence Common Purpose Change |
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 | 1:10 pm | White Hall (209) | WISE Talk 3 – “How Your Team Can Define You” | Kiara Rakestraw | Identity Formation | Consciousness of Self Congruence |
Wednesday, March 2, 2022 | 1:10 pm 5 pm |
White Hall (209) Zoom |
WISE Talk 4 – “Shaping Your Space and Setting Boundaries” | Emily Cole, MPA, Lifting as We Climb | Power | Consciousness of Citizenship Contending with Civility |
Thursday, March 3, 2022 | 6 pm | Zoom | Invisible Systems | Dr. Howard-Bostic + others | Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | Controversy with Civility |
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 | 1:10 pm | White Hall (209) | WISE Talk 5 –Aligning Chakras | Kristen Vernon | Spirituality | Congruence Change |
Thursday, March 10 | 10 am | LIB (309) | Harriet Tubman Day | Shannon Holiday | Black History | Common Purpose Congruence |
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 | 1 pm 5 pm |
White Hall (209) Zoom |
WISE Talk 6 – “Code Switching & PWI Life” | Briel Durand-Zara, Dr. Michelle Scott- Montgomery College | Equity | Congruence Controversy with Civility |
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | 1 pm | White Hall (209) | WISE Talk 7 – “Healthy vs Toxic Relationships” | Kitanna Rakestraw | Relationships | Controversy with Civility |
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | 5 pm | Zoom | WISE Talk 8 – “Don’t call people out, call them in” | Kennedy Ntiamoah | Communication | Collaboration Congruence |
Date | Time(s) | Location | Event | Speaker | Theme | Competencies |
Tuesday, September 28, 2021 | 4 pm | Potomac Place | Rams Rally Sign Design | Briel-Christina Durand-Zara | Unity | Change |
Wednesday, September 29, 2021 | 12 pm 1 pm |
Zoom | Module 1 – “Committing to Yourself – to Code Switch or Not to Code Switch” | Emily Cole, MPA, Lifting As We Climb | Code-switching | Commitment |
Thursday, September 30, 2021 | 4 pm | Potomac Place | Rams Rally for Respect | Affinity Groups | Unity | Change |
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 | 12 pm 1 pm |
Zoom | Module 2 – “The Dandiest Life” | Elizabeth Mobley | Motivational speakers | Consciousness of Self Congruence |
Thursday, October 21, 2021 | 5:30 pm | Zoom | Meditation – “Thankful Thursday” | Wendy Baracka | Radical appreciation | Common Purpose |
Wednesday, October 27, 2021 | 12 pm 1 pm |
Zoom White Hall (307) |
Module 3 – “How Your Team Can Define You” | Kiara RakestrawBriel-Cristina Durand-Zara | Identity formation | Consciousness of Self Congruence |
Wednesday, November 10, 2021 | 12 pm 1 pm |
Zoom White Hall (307) |
Module 4 – “Shaping Your Space and Setting Boundaries” | Emily Cole, MPA, Lifting As We Climb | Power to shape your space | Consciousness of Citizenship Contending with Civility |
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 | 12 pm 1 pm |
Zoom White Hall (307) |
Module 5 – “Appodlachia” | Charles CorraJohn IsnerCo-Founders, Appodlachia Podcast | Motivational speakers | Positive Social Change |
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 | 12 pm 1 pm |
Zoom White Hall (307) |
Module 6 – “Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing” | Emily Cole, MPA, Lifting As We Climb | Effective collaboration and managing interpersonal relationships | Collaboration |