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Office of Multicultural Affairs Newsletter

 January 2022 | C-Term | Spring 2022
Community Acknowledgement
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.
Statement of Support and Commitment
Office Updates
OASIS Multicultural Center (OASIS House)
Collegiate Religious Center (CRC)
COVID-19 Updates
We Are WPI
Schedule a COVID Test
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Mass Health
Place Your Order for Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests
Upcoming Campus Programs and Events
Upcoming Campus Events
University Calendar
2022 WPI Holiday Calendar
Upcoming Holidays, Holy Days, and Commemorative Days
  • 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!
Win Holiday Calendar
Diversity Calendar 2022 | Inclusion and Cultural Events
2022 Global Diversity Calendar
Current Events
WPI News:
Higher Education News:
Local/State/National/International News:
WPI Today
Inside Higher Ed | Diversity Insider
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education
Women in Academia Report
Mental Health, Wellness, Self-Care, and Mindfulness
Be Well Together
Student Development and Counseling Center (SDCC)
Mental Health Resources for Students
Initial Findings and Recommendations of the Mental Health and Well-being Task Force - Phase One: Students



Mosaic: Men of Color Support Group

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.
LGBTQIAP+ Resources and Support
LGBTQIAP+ Support
LGBTQIAP+ at WPI Resource Guide
LGBTQIAP+ in Worcester
Read, Watch, Listen, and Learn
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:
Social Justice Education

Black History Month: Teaching the Complete History

Go beyond trauma and struggle to examine the liberation, civic engagement, creativity and intersecting identities of Black people during Black History Month.

Analysis & Resources: Hostage Situation at Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, TX

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.
Voter Education and Registration
Register To Vote
Check Your Voter Registration

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.
Community Engagement
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.
Student Jobs, Internships, and Scholarships
Student Employment
Internships
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).
Professional Development Opportunities
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

The Covid Crisis: Helping First-Gen Men
Thursday, January 27, 2022
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST
Register Here

Creating Allyship
Thursday, January 27, 2022
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM EST
Register Here

Houston Coalition Against Hate - Bystander Intervention to stop hate-based harassment
Friday, January 28, 2022
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM EST
Register Here
Normalizing Blackness: Black History, Everyday
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM EST
Zoom

Unpacking White Womanhood: Exploring Your Unique Role Within Systems of Oppression | Workshop Series
This is a series of 4, 90-minute live, interactive Zoom calls with Drs. Kathy Obear and Victoria Farris centered around building self-awareness, disrupting the status quo, cultivating community, and facilitating healing related to systems of white male supremacy. These workshops are open to white women and folks socialized into white womanhood who desire to be more effective allies and agents of change.
  • Friday, February 4th from 12:00-1:30 PM EST
  • Friday, February 18th from 12:00-1:30 PM EST
  • Friday, March 4th from 12:00-1:30 PM EST
  • Friday, March 18th from 12:00-1:30 PM EST

Speaking Up: How Bystanders Can Change the Conversation about Social Bias
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
5:00 PM - 7:30 PM EST
Register Here

Brotherhood Leadership Conference: A Brotherhood for Success
Saturday, March 5, 2022
Worcester State University
Time: TBA

On 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

Intersectionality Identified
Thursday, March 24, 2022
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM EST
Register Here

Intersectionality Identified
Saturday, March 26, 2022
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM EST
Register Here
Summer Research and Fellowship Opportunities

Early Research Experience in E-Term
The Early Research Experience in E Term (EREE) program offers a first research experience to interested students who have not yet had an authentic research experience. We will provide current first and second-year students an initial immersive research experience with a WPI faculty mentor. The goal of this program is to create pathways to deep and meaningful research experiences in STEM fields for undergraduate students, especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups in STEM including underrepresented minorities, first-generation students, transfer students, and women.

This research experience provides students with the following:

  • The opportunity to participate in summer research early in their academic career
  • A paid research experience ($4000 over 10 weeks)
  • Close mentoring with a faculty member and graduate mentor
  • Preparation for additional research opportunities at WPI and beyond
  • Information and advice about future graduate research and career opportunities
  • Weekly professional development workshops

Program details: 

  • The 2022 program will be held in-person in labs on the WPI campus
  • The program runs June through August 2022
  • Students paid to work 40-hours per week
  • Weekly professional development workshops for all cohort team members
  • Students will showcase their work in a presentation at the end of the summer
Student application process:
  • Application available the week of February 1, 2022
  • Application due Sunday, March 13, 2022
  • Elements of the application that students should prepare ahead of time:
    • Students will identify three (3) projects of interest from the EREE 2021 Faculty Submissions
    • Write a resume – Need help? Contact the CDC for a virtual resume-writing appointment!
    • Academic transcript – Need help? Instructions here.
    • Gather contact information (names and e-mail addresses) for 2 professional or academic references (at least 1 must be from WPI). Make sure you ask for a reference!
    • Agree to participate in the weekly professional development workshops
    • Answer this reflection question:
      • Each student brings a diverse set of skills and experiences (technical and non-technical) to a research group. Please describe three skills that you can bring to a new research group and three skills that you would like to learn or improve upon through a research experience. (Please limit your response to 300 words)
  • The student application will be available the week of February 1, 2022.

Harvard Forest Summer Research Program
Program Details for 2022: 
  • 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 
Apply Here
Questions? See FAQ

Harvard Forest Summer Research Program
Program Details for 2022: 
  • 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 
Apply Here
Questions? See FAQ
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Summer Fellowship
 
Undergraduate STEM majors who will have completed their junior year are
eligible. Students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Timeframe – The program is held during the summer months. Students
arrive between the end of May and mid-June and stay for 10-12 weeks.

Stipend/Travel/Housing – A weekly stipend of $670 per
week is provided for the 10-12 week program plus a roundtrip
travel allowance. WHOI housing is also provided.

Deadline – Completed applications are due by Saturday, February 5, 2022.

Apply Here
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
McLean Mental Health Research Summer Program
Program Features:
  1. Mentored research experience in a Harvard Medical School neuroscience laboratory at McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA (https://www.mcleanhospital.org/research).
  2. Workshops to teach and promote strategies for success in a scientific career.
  3. Community engagement in collaboration with McLean’s Brains Matter outreach program.
  4. $7,000 stipend per student for the 10-week program.
Program Timeline:
  • Application opens: Monday, December 6, 2021
  • Application deadline: Monday, February 14, 2022
  • Selection announcement: March 11, 2022
  • Program: June 6th – August 12th 2022 - conditions subject to change due to COVID-19

Hydrogen Research Experience for Undergraduates:  A Convergent Approach on Traineeship towards Realizing H2 Economy

Our H2 REU aims to educate undergraduate students on hydrogen technologies through a convergent approach involving mentoring in interdisciplinary engineering research, teaching environmental policies and law, and engagement in real-world industrial practices.

Participants will gain an understanding of the current state-of-the-art hydrogen technologies and the challenges hindering their implementation, and will be inspired to work on finding solutions to address those challenges in their professional careers.

Apply Today!  Accepting application until Sunday, February 20, 2022

Engineering PLUS stEm PEER (Practitioners Enhancing Engineering Regionally) Academy

The stEm PEER Academy will investigate the following topics:

  1. Understanding the Engineering Education Pathway Landscape with emphasis on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
  2. Models and interventions that work for women and BIPOC students to enroll and facilitate degree attainment.
  3. Building partnerships/engagement of stakeholders.
  4. 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?”
Graduate Students

Career and Professional Development

  • 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, February 4, 2022 - Employer Panel
    • Friday, February 18, 2022 - Job Searches/Interviews
    • Friday, March 18, 2022 - Negotiation and Conflict Management
OMA Staff Virtual Office Hours
CRC Chaplain Student Hours
Academic Support Services

Academic Calendar & Catalogs
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.
WPI Multicultural, Intercultural, International, and Religious Community
ACCESS
African Percussion & Dance Ensemble
African Student Association
Alpha Omega
Armenian Student Association
Black Student Union
Brazilian Student Association
Chinese Student and Scholar Association
Chinese Student Association
Christian Bible Fellowship
First Generation Student Association
German Club (Deutschklub)
Heavenly Love Chinese Christian Fellowship
Hellenic Student Association
Hillel
Hispanic and Caribbean Student Association
International Student Council
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Iranian Student Association
Japanese Culture Club
Korean Student Association
Meditation Club
Muslim Students Association
National Society of Black Engineers
Newman Club
Russian-speaking Students and Scholars Association
Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanic and Native Americans in Science
Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers WPI Chapter
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
Society of Women Engineers
South Asian Student Association
Step Team
The Alliance, oSTEM Affiliate Chapter
The Pagan Circle
Turkish Student Association
Unitarian Universalist Campus Fellowship
Vietnamese Student Association
Women Interested in Zeta (WIZ)
Campus Advocacy Resources
Additional Support and Resources
Complete the Office of Multicultural Affairs Request Form
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Bias Response Program
Student Resources and Support
Resources for Graduate Students
Be Well Together
(OMA newsletter is distributed on Wednesdays weekly)
Office of Multicultural Affairs
Office of Multicultural Affairs Facebook
Office of Multicultural Affairs Instagram
Office of Multicultural Affairs Twitter
Office of Multicultural Affairs YouTube
Office of Multicultural Affairs Email
Copyright © 2022 WPI Office of Multicultural Affairs, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Office of Multicultural Affairs
100 Institute Road
Worcester, MA | 01609-2280

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Worcester Polytechnic Institute · 100 Institute Road · Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) · Worcester, MA 01609-2247 · USA

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