“[T]he full weight of my responsibilities, even the most quotidian ones, was often as invisible to me as it was to my adviser and financial-aid officer,” writes Anthony A. Jack, former NPEA keynote speaker and current professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, in a heartfelt New York Times Magazine article. As educators and advocates for our students, we emphasize the importance of strong academics and ensure that our students are strong college applicants, but what are we doing beyond the scope of providing academic support? In this workshop, attendees will discuss what it means to support the whole student. How do we define holistic support and why is it important to the success of our students as they prepare to be in spaces where they might be the only one? The presenters will discuss what these practices are and will conclude with an activity that will allow participants to create a comprehensive plan of action that outlines how holistic support practices can be implemented within their organization or school.
Guiding Questions:
1) What practices, processes, or structures does your organization have in place to support students beyond academics?
2) Has your organization been thinking about preparing and supporting students for spaces where they have been historically underrepresented, underresourced, and/or marginalized?
3) Are you looking to build a toolbox of various resources that helps you better support and advocate for the students you work with?