重点报道系列:詹妮弗·弗洛雷斯

适合大学生, a sense of belonging has been known to impact academic success and emotional wellbeing. When it comes to student engagement outside the classroom, Student Life leads the charge at 帕洛阿尔托学院.

在这段远程学习的时间里, when the need for student engagement has never been greater, 詹妮弗·弗洛雷斯, 学生成功事务临时主任, and her team at Student Life have adapted to connecting with and supporting students through a virtual space.

“I think it’s essential that we have an outlet for our students, specifically during this time because we can’t be on campus,弗洛雷斯说. “We have a lot of individuals that are at home, not able to get out as they normally would. There is a lot more that our college has to offer outside of the classroom, and that’s where Student Life comes in.”

Student Life offers engagement opportunities like volunteerism, 的服务培训, 大学事件, and involvement in student clubs and organizations.

“We are very fortunate to have a creative and collaborative staff on board at Student Life that works with other departments across the college to ensure we have student engagement outside of the classroom,弗洛雷斯说.

The team has taken the lessons learned from the transition to remote operations and student feedback from social media polls to infuse innovation into their programming. This has resulted in the introduction of Social Circles, a weekly digital social hour where students can socialize, 网络, and develop professional and interpersonal skills.

通过社交圈系列, students have the chance to participate in various activities, 包括食物演示, 健身时间, 健康小贴士, 与PAC顾问的对话, 职业准备. 除此之外, the team has made a concerted effort to support students’ mental health by bringing stressing the importance of self-care and enlisting the help of PAC counselors.

在这些事件中, the students have made comments about how they really look forward to this [Social Circles]. It helps with their mental health because they get to talk about a variety of topics,弗洛雷斯说. “We’ve invited our mental health counselors to come in and guide those conversations.”

另外, Student Life has integrated into their programming social justice and 股本 sessions to support PAC’s Access, 包容, 多样性, and Equity (AIDE) committee – part of a districtwide initiative at the 澳门新葡京博彩区 to promote diversity, 股本, 和包容.

去年秋天, these virtual sessions covered a range of topics like the future of policing and systemic racism in higher education, 等. Though, for Flores, the conversation doesn’t stop there.

“The basis for the AIDE committee is to bring awareness to various topics of social justice,弗洛雷斯说. “Our goal for the spring is to really dive in and have those conversations with our students, 教师, 和工作人员.”

Student Life will be hosting several AIDE committee events that provide ally training to support students of diverse backgrounds and build an understanding of implicit bias. Additional programming highlights for the Spring semester include Women’s History Month, 虚拟招聘会, pop-up market volunteer opportunities, 各种社交圈活动, and Meet the Coach sessions with PAC Athletics.

The team will also continue their partnership with AARP to provide their members with free virtual workshops focused on healthy and active lifestyles. More information on these workshops can be found on the AARP的网站.

To stay up to date with Student Life, visit the 阿拉莫的经验 website, follow them on social media via 脸谱网 @PACStudentLife and Instagram @PAC.StudentLife, or contact them by emailing PAC-Studentlife@0412xp.net.