Office of Multicultural Affairs Newsletter
January 2022 | C-Term | Spring 2022
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Statement of Support and Commitment
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Community Acknowledgement
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The Office of Multicultural Affairs offers our deepest condolences to those impacted by recent events in our WPI community. We continue to offer our support to those needing to talk or process anything they might be going through personally, socially, academically, or professionally. We encourage you to reach out to the OMA staff and our WPI Chaplains for support to meet via Zoom or in-person (as you are comfortable). Please note our staff is accessible outside of the Office Hours (OMA team) and Student Hours (Campus Chaplains) detailed below.
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Upcoming Campus Programs and Events
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- Sunday, January 23rd at 12:30 PM EST
- Monday, January 24th at 5:00 PM EST
- Mosaic: Men of Color Support Group | RSVP Here
- Tuesday, January 25th at 4:00 PM EST
- Tuesday, January 25th at 5:00 PM EST
- Great Minds/CoMPASS Scholar Meeting (C-Term)
- Wednesday, January 26th at 5:00 PM EST
- LSAMP Scholar Meeting (C-Term)
- Friday, January 28th at 4:30 PM EST
- Sunday, January 30th at 12:30 PM EST
- Monday, January 31st at 1:00 PM EST
- Monday, January 31st at 5:00 PM EST
- Mosaic: Men of Color Support Group | RSVP Here
- Monday, January 31st at 5:00 PM EST
- Inclusive Community Council (ICC) Meeting
- Tuesday, February 1st at 6:00 PM EST
- Saturday, February 5th at 10:00 AM EST
- Sunday, February 6th at 12:30 PM EST
- Monday, February 7th at 5:00 PM EST
- Mosaic: Men of Color Support Group | RSVP Here
- Sunday, February 13th at 12:30 PM EST
- Office of Multicultural Affairs sponsored programs and events.
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Upcoming Holidays, Holy Days, and Commemorative Days
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- Week of Prayer for Christian (January 18-25)
- National Popcorn Day (January 19)
- National Hug Day (January 21)
- International Day of Education (January 24)
- International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27)
- National Croissant Day (January 30)
- National Hot Chocolate Day (January 31)
- January 2022 is observed as:
- National Mentoring Month
- National Glaucoma Awareness Month
- Cervical Health Awareness Month
- National Blood Donor Month
- Birth Defects Prevention Month
- National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
- National Stalking Awareness Month
- National Poverty in America Awareness Month
Happy Birthday to all of the January babies! |
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WPI News:
Higher Education News:
Local/State/National/International News:
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Mental Health, Wellness, Self-Care, and Mindfulness
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Mosaic: Men of Color Support Group
- A collaborative partnership between the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) and Student Development & Counseling Center (SDCC) the Mosaic: Men of Color Support Group offers social, personal, professional, and cultural support to WPI students who are male/men and Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color (BIPOC).
- Mosaic meets weekly during C-Term on Mondays from 5:00 PM - 6:15 PM EST in the OASIS Multicultural Center (OASIS House) and on Zoom.
- There will be six (6) sessions during C-Term.
- Monday, January 24th (Zoom only)
- Monday, January 31st (Zoom only)
- Monday, February 7th (Zoom only)
- Monday, February 14th
- Monday, February 21st
- Monday, February 28th
- Please email Arnold Lane for more information or Register Here.
Virtual Mindful Wednesdays and Thursdays
- Mindfulness Wednesdays and Thursdays will be conducted virtually through Zoom for the foreseeable future and will not be held in person.
- The Wednesday session begins at 12:15 PM EST and the Thursday session begins at 2:15 PM EST.
- Sessions include a 10 – 15 meditation with time for questions or comments.
- Please email Robin Benoit for more information.
Live Guided Meditation | hosted by Meditation Breaks
- Immerse yourself in the benefits of meditation and mindfulness. This live online meditation class hosted by Meditation Breaks provides a wide array of easy to learn mindfulness teachings and techniques aimed at transforming your life -- including stress relief, increasing happiness, living in the moment, and much more.
- Great for people looking to learn how meditation can help them in daily life and for those interested in maintaining a regular meditation practice.
- Note: times are Wednesdays at 8:30 PM EST.
Gentle Yoga for Terrible Times
- Simple and accessible breathing exercises, stretches, and guided meditation for all bodies, minds, and spirits. No experience necessary.
- Note: January times are Saturdays at 9:00 PM EST.
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LGBTQIAP+ Resources and Support
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The Alliance General Body Meetings
Mondays at 5:00 PM EST
Salisbury Laboratories (SL 115) or Zoom
We will be discussing our upcoming elections and playing a game!
Virtual attendees are welcome! :)
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Read, Watch, Listen, and Learn
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Articles:
Films and Television:
- Residence Life Cinema (SWANK Motion Pictures, Inc.)
- Black History and Culture
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Mental Health
- American History
- Women’s Empowerment
- Anyone on WPI Wi-Fi can access free streaming services at cinema.wpi.edu.
Podcasts:
Books:
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Anti-Defamation League (ADL) commends Texas law enforcement and the FBI for their work in bringing to an end the tense hostage situation at Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville on January 15, 2022. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, who have endured a horrific trauma. ADL will remain on the scene now and in the difficult days ahead.
When Bad Things Are Happening
When news breaks of disaster or violence, your students may want to discuss a crisis as it unfolds. Here’s how.
Honor Martin Luther King Jr. and the Full Movement
As Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches, educators across the nation will teach about King’s life and works. Countless others will echo his famous quotes. Few will offer a full picture of who King truly was—or of the collectivist movement that surrounded him. These resources can help you offer a fuller account of King, his peers and the ongoing legacy of their shared dreams and actions.
Talking about Racism, Racial Equity and Racial Healing with Friends, Family, Colleagues and Neighbors
What is Racial Healing? Racial healing is a process that restores individuals and communities to wholeness, repairs the damage caused by racism and transforms societal structures into ones that affirm the inherent value of all people. It makes it possible to acknowledge and speak the truth about past wrongs created by individual and systemic racism and to address present-day consequences for people, communities and institutions. Racial healing can facilitate trust and build authentic relationships that bridge divides created by real and perceived differences. We believe it is essential to pursue racial healing prior to making change in a community. Because, before you can transform systems and structures, you must start with people first.
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Voter Education and Registration
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Massachusetts Primary Election
Tuesday, November 20th
Election Day 2022
Tuesday, November 8th
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) are non-partisan entities and do not support or oppose any political candidate or party.
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Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) does not endorse nor sponsor any of the above-mentioned groups, organizations, or entities.
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Student Jobs, Internships, and Scholarships
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Connections Pre-Orientation Program (August 2022)
The Program Ambassadors (PA) are valued members of the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) who are trained to provide peer-to-peer leadership and support for students who participate in the Connections experience at Worcester Polytechnic institute (WPI). Program Ambassadors serve as peer educators who engage our newest WPI scholars in various aspects of their first year at WPI as they transition into college. Program Ambassadors also serve as positive role models within the community, aid in student support initiatives, encourage personal growth in their peers, and provide leaving experiences to ensure student success. Eligible sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students are trained by OMA staff to facilitate success programs, multicultural and cross-cultural activities, academic support services, and intergroup dialogues for their peer community. Program Ambassadors must be self-starters, who are well-organized and committed to assisting students experiencing the transition to college; committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; and committed to the success of underrepresented student populations at WPI. This position reports directly to the Office of Multicultural Affairs professional staff (Director, Associate Director, Assistant Director, and Administrative Assistant).
Apply Here
The Lead Program Ambassadors (Lead PA) are valued members of the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) who are trained to provide peer-to-peer leadership and support for the Peer Ambassador (PA) team as well as students who participate in the Connections experience at Worcester Polytechnic institute (WPI). Lead PAs provide guidance and mentorship to the Program Ambassador team and supports PAs in their efforts to engage our newest WPI scholars in various aspects of their first year at WPI as they transition into college. Lead PAs assists the PAs with carrying out their duties and responsibilities, building community among the team, and building a sense of community and belonging for all Connections participants. Lead PAs also serve as positive role models within the community, aid in student support initiatives, encourage personal growth in their peers, and provide leaving experiences to ensure student success. Eligible juniors, seniors, and graduate students are trained by OMA staff to facilitate PA training and development, success programs, multicultural and cross-cultural activities, academic support services, and intergroup dialogues for their peer community. Lead PAs must be self-starters, who are well-organized and committed to assisting students experiencing the transition to college; committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; and committed to the success of underrepresented student populations at WPI. This position reports directly to the Office of Multicultural Affairs professional staff (Director, Associate Director, Assistant Director, and Administrative Assistant).
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Professional Development Opportunities
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Leadership Delta PEARL Mentor Program
The primary aim of the program is to create a sisterhood of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color) women from the WPI community, providing them with the skills and resources needed to excel professionally and in life through leadership development in a multilayered mentoring cluster of BIPOC women.
The time commitment would be approximately 3 hours per month in person on the following dates:
- Saturday, February 26, 2022 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM EST
- Saturday, March 19, 2022 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM EST
- Saturday, April 9, 2022 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM EST
- Saturday, April 23, 2022 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM EST
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The Women's Power Gap at Elite Universities:
Scaling the Ivory Tower
Thursday, January 20, 2022
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM EST
Register Here |
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The Unrelenting Campus Mental Health Crisis
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST
Register Here |
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The Covid Crisis: Helping First-Gen Men
Thursday, January 27, 2022
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST
Register Here |
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 Normalizing Blackness: Black History, Everyday
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM EST
Zoom |
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Harvard Forest Summer Research Program
- The 11-week program dates are May 23 to August 5, 2022
- $6,600 stipend, plus full room & board, and travel to/from Harvard Forest
- Applications are currently open and are due Friday, Feb. 4, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. EST
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Speaking Up: How Bystanders Can Change the Conversation about Social Bias
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
5:00 PM - 7:30 PM EST
Register Here |
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REU in Nanotechnology for Health, Energy and the Environment hosted at Stony Brook University will run from May 31 - August 5, 2022, at our main Long Island, NY campus, and is coordinated by the Center for Inclusive Education. Applications are due Monday, February 7th.
Program Highlights Include:
- Full-time, mentored research, for which students receive a $6,000 stipend
- Weekly Research Methods and Graduate Education Preparation Seminars taught by graduate scholars
- Weekly professional development activities and social events
- Housing and meals, plus travel awards for those living more than 75 miles from campus (Note: Living on campus is mandatory from Monday - Friday during the duration of the program)
- Opportunity to present their research at the Summer Research Symposium and Closing Ceremony on August 4th
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Engineering PLUS stEm PEER (Practitioners Enhancing Engineering Regionally) Academy
The stEm PEER Academy will investigate the following topics:
- Understanding the Engineering Education Pathway Landscape with emphasis on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
- Models and interventions that work for women and BIPOC students to enroll and facilitate degree attainment.
- Building partnerships/engagement of stakeholders.
- Planning, implementing and assessing, and scaling the Capstone project.
Key Dates
- Applications: Open Tuesday, January 18, 2022
- Deadline: Tuesday, March 1, 2022
- Notification: Accepted applicants will be notified no later than Friday, April 1, 2022.
- Orientation: Attend a virtual Orientation, TBD
- Institute: Attend the June 5-9: Week-long PEER Academy Boston, MA (In-person/Covid permitting)
- Monthly: Attend virtual ½ day sessions and complete required program updates (specific dates/times to be determined)
- Required Documents: Resume, 2 Recommendations and essay in response to the following question: “What is one evidence-based strategy or program that you believe has the potential to be most beneficial for this population of students? How could you implement this strategy or program to your own institution?”
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Brotherhood Leadership Conference: A Brotherhood for Success
Saturday, March 5, 2022
Worcester State University
Time: TBAOn March 5, 2022, Worcester State University will be hosting the “Brotherhood Leadership Conference” for ALANA/BIPOC men in our greater community.
Workshop Sessions Include:
- Leadership Lessons
- The State of Our Men’s Health
- ALANA/BIPOC Entrepreneurship
- Dress for Success
- Unlocking Your True Potential
- Self-Change: My Triumph & Perseverance
- A Sense of Belonging: Equity, Inclusion, & Beyond
- Combating Racial Battle Fatigue
- Building an Equitable and Liberating Mindset
- The Unseen: Why Students of Color Need Visible Communities of Care?
- Additional Presentation by TRILL OR NOT TRILL - Dr. Jeff Dess & Dr. Lenny Williams featured on CBS, FOX New York, TedX, The Boston Globe, Ebony Magazine, Black Enterprise, The Root
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- We have developed a new program for this year, the Graduate Researcher Education and Training (GREAT) Series, for graduate student researchers, Masters Thesis and PhD students, that will provide training on a range of skills researchers need to be successful.
- Sessions take place the last Tuesday of each month from 12:00 – 1:00 PM EST in Gateway I (60 Prescott Street) Room 1002 with free boxed lunch provided following the session.
- Registration required for each session. The first three GREAT sessions are as follows:
Grad Student Training and Readiness Sessions (STARS)
- The Graduate Student and Training Readiness Sessions - STARS - is an annual series of workshops organized by the Office of Graduate Studies that provides overviews on important career and professional development topics.
- STARS workshops in 2021-2022 will be on campus in Gateway I Room 1002 (60 Prescott Street) and will be held from 12:00 - 1:00 PM EST. Registration links will be provided below for each session.
- Friday, January 21, 2022 - Networking
- Friday, February 4, 2022 - Employer Panel
- Friday, February 18, 2022 - Job Searches/Interviews
- Friday, March 18, 2022 - Negotiation and Conflict Management
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OMA Staff Virtual Office Hours
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CRC Chaplain Student Hours
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Academic Support Services
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2022 Academic Resources Center (ARC) Tutoring
C-Term tutoring will be starting out in a remote format and will move back in-person once it is safe to do so, hopefully by the end of January. Please note that the ARC and EPC are now located on the 5th floor of the new academic building, Unity Hall.
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WPI Multicultural, Intercultural, International, and Religious Community
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Campus Advocacy Resources
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- Dean of Students | Student resources for advocacy, citizenship, empowerment, inclusion, respect, and support
- Office of International Student Life (ISL) | Student resources for international support, education, community, and advocacy
- Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) | Student resources for accommodation services, advocacy, support, and assistance
- Title IX | Student resources for anti-discrimination policy and equal opportunity education
- Student Development and Counseling Center (SDCC) | Student resources for counseling, therapy, and mental health/wellness
- Graduate Student Government (GSG) | Student resources for addressing the social and academic needs of graduate students
- Student Government Association (SGA) | Student resources for addressing the social and academic needs of undergraduate students
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Additional Support and Resources
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(OMA newsletter is distributed on Wednesdays weekly)
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