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Encouraging Students to Discover Their Purpose

Feb 3, 2023 | Stories

Whether Kevin L. Booker Jr. is teaching first-year seminar, public speaking or yoga, he sees his role in the classroom as one to encourage and help his students see their full potential.

“My love of teaching translates across multiple disciplines,” he says, “and I use a variety of methods and strategies to help my students understand their purpose, vision and where they are going in life. These lessons are critical for students to tap into their greatness, build up their confidence and realize that they can take on anything they wish to accomplish. Along the way, students also learn how to support one another and build each other up, which is a critical skill that benefits our students in any sector or life path they pursue.”

Currently a visiting instructor, Booker is working on his doctorate in educational leadership with a focus on higher education. He says what he loves about Mitchell is the wide range of students who attend the college.

“As President Espy says, ‘We serve a kaleidoscope of learners.’ Our students come to the college with a wide variety of backgrounds. Mitchell’s faculty and staff are caring, compassionate and supportive in meeting each of our student’s needs to ensure they are successful. As a professor, I learn from my students because they bring different skills and expertise into the classroom. The small size of the college allows faculty to interact and build a stronger connection with our students.”

He credits the connections that he formed with his own teachers for inspiring him to teach.

“Throughout my entire educational career, from elementary through my doctorate program, I have had many teachers, professors and peers who have encouraged me to do my best. They have invested in me, were committed to seeing me develop and led by example. The teachers I looked up to the most had incredibly high standards, were deeply compassionate for their students and went above and beyond the classroom. Seeing strong educators that looked like me allowed me to envision myself as an educator and be a leader in the classroom and community as they were.”

Booker’s community leadership includes serving on the board of directors of both the Anti-Defamation League in Connecticut and the ISAAC (Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication) Charter School in New London. He also serves on the Hartford Job Corps Academy outreach board and the School and State Finance Advisory Council. He is a former city councilor for the City of New London and currently serves as commissioner of the New London Parking Authority.

“I will always be a teacher because I truly love to teach,” he says. “You can change a person’s life with education. I know this because it changed mine.”

Mitchell College Strives to be a Movement

Dec 20, 2022 | News

Mitchell College has spent 2022 preparing to meet the new needs of students and the community as it builds forward to ensure student success. With its newly launched five-year strategic plan, “Illuminating Mitchell College’s Future: A Bold Plan for a Kaleidoscope of Learners,” Mitchell College is poised to welcome 2023 with an exciting slate of new programs and initiatives, expanding opportunities for its kaleidoscope of learners while providing holistic supports to help each individual student reach their greatest potential.

This plan will continue to move the college forward, deepening connections and service to the community, serving a greater and more diverse student body through expanded, industry-demand programs and aligning infrastructure with the needs of the students of today and in the future.

“First and foremost, Mitchell College is committed to being a community of belonging for our broad group of learners,” said President Tracy Y. Espy, Ph.D. “This is the place where they can come to meet their educational needs, learn other valuable life skills and, through advocacy and support, discover their true potential. Mitchell strives to be a movement in educating a kaleidoscope of learners, not just an institution.”

In 2022, Mitchell College successfully achieved a $1 million match to its record-breaking $3 million gift from earlier in the year and, thanks to help from U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), recently received $550,000 in federal funding to support its new Digital Innovation Hub for Educational Excellence (DIHEE).

The DIHEE, preparing to launch in January, will “upskill” the adult regional workforce, offering industry-demand programs via certifications, badges, micro-credentials and advanced credentials in the STEM and mental health fields. Located in the Mitchell College Library, the DIHEE will provide technical and learning support via written and video resources and live sessions, as well as opportunities for peer engagement. The DIHEE aligns with the workforce development goals laid out by Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and will meet the needs of the region.

Answering another community need, Mitchell College will introduce in 2023 a post-graduate learning program with multi-level supports for neurodivergent individuals. Skills Training, Advancement and Individual Readiness (STAIR), a 1- to 2-year program, builds on the inclusive nature of the Mitchell College educational experience by offering more recent college graduates additional guidance, tools and support for their next steps of career or graduate school. The program includes two main components:  AIM Basics, focused on independent living, career readiness, social and interpersonal skills and holistic wellness, with the goal of developing self-sufficiency and independence; and Program Hubs, which include a choice of focus on either career preparation or academic exploration and graduate school preparedness.

Programs to support student mental wellness at Mitchell will also be launched in 2023:

  • Thanks to funding from the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, Mitchell College will offer the BLOSSOM Project, which aims to teach female students, spanning the range of neurodiversity, to set safe boundaries with friends and partners, critical to a healthy environment where all can learn and thrive in safety. The project will include group workshops to educate, train, raise awareness and build self-confidence for students to “blossom” as they develop and strengthen their sense of self-worth. It also includes a “Women’s Empowerment” event, open to the public, that will be both a celebration and a powerful, motivating educational event.
  • Mitchell College is also participating in a nationwide initiative of The Jed Foundation (JED), designed to help institutions evaluate and strengthen their mental health, substance misuse and suicide prevention programs and systems to ensure that schools have the strongest possible mental health safety net. After completing a self-assessment, Mitchell will collaborate over four years with JED to implement enhancements.
  • College-age young adults may be more susceptible to problem gambling. Mitchell College, through a grant from the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, and in partnership with local experts, will promote Problem Gambling Awareness through activities that promote healthy and responsible decisions around gambling.  Activities include information sessions from area casinos, gambling addiction experts and those in recovery, and training to help campus staff to recognize signs of gambling-related problems.

Watch for announcements early next year as Mitchell College continues to launch industry-driven programming, including new majors in computer sciences and business management and an exciting master-level partnership with the University of Saint Joseph.

A wave of momentum is building on the beautiful beachfront campus of Mitchell College, where commitment to students and community will continue to deepen and grow in 2023 and beyond.

 

 

 

 

 

Helping People Have a Better Tomorrow

Dec 19, 2022 | Stories

For Cristian Medina one of the best aspects of his internship in the physical therapy department of Orthopedic Partners in Niantic was drawing on his knowledge gained from classes like anatomy and physiology at Mitchell College.

“It felt amazing to put my knowledge into practice and be able to ask specific questions to patients based on what I had learned in class. It made the time spent in class worth it, knowing that you really learned something to apply in the real world. You’re not just showing up to class and looking at a professor,” he said.

“It makes you look like you know something, like you’re not just helping out,” he added. “You’re trying to learn and exert your knowledge.”

A health science major and Men’s Soccer and Men’s Lacrosse team member, Cristian spent the fall semester at Orthopedic Partners as a physical therapy assistant — gathering needed equipment, cleaning up exam areas, asking patients questions and participating in patient rehab.

“There were three physical therapists working there, and I was able to pick and choose who to follow throughout the day, based on who had the ‘best’ patient for me to learn from. For instance, I was more interested in an ankle fracture than balance problems, so I could seek out those kinds of patients,” Christian said.

Cristian is wrapping up his studies at Mitchell, graduating mid-year, and plans to pursue a career in the Air Force, with a goal of ultimately attending Officer Training School and taking advantage of an opportunity to participate in its physician assistant training program.

“Medicine is my calling,” he said. “I want to help people have a better tomorrow. I want to be a physician assistant in orthopedics, so I chose to intern with the physical therapy team at Orthopedic Partners. I had a practicum shadowing an orthopedic doctor there a few years back and was able to watch surgery and patient assessments and diagnoses. Working with the physical therapists, I was able to expand my knowledge to better understand both worlds.”

His favorite part of the internship was meeting so many different patients.

“Most injuries can look similar, but the recovery process for each patient is so different depending on the patient.”

Cristian said that many of the Mitchell Abilities that he learned over the years played a big part in his working successfully in his internship, especially analysis, problem solving, communication and diversity.

“I drew a lot on the Mitchell Abilities. Being able to recognize a patient’s injury and figuring out which exercises and rehab programs would work best was something that I had to do regularly. Not every patient can do the same thing and everyone has a different level of pain. I also communicated throughout the day with my supervisor and colleagues to make sure that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. I asked questions to make sure that I was efficient and effective. And having respect and empathy towards people was especially important.”

There were a few challenges in the beginning of the internship.

“The PT team deals a lot with elderly people, which can be difficult. They tend to have a slow manner. But one of the things that I learned from my internship was that patience is needed. Go with the flow. Take your time. You’re going to get there. There is no need to be rushing things or getting frustrated. Trust time and be patient with everybody. That is absolutely a skill that I will take with me through life,” he said.

As he winds down his time at Mitchell College, Cristian said, “I will miss my friends and the Mitchell College campus. The environment is so supportive. People help you and the professors care. It’s easy to talk to them one on one, and the Tutoring Center also gives a lot of help.”

Another perk?

“When you walk to class and see a view of the water, that’s a great feeling. It makes you go through your day with more motivation.”

Strength Training for Future Success

Dec 5, 2022 | Stories

Nolan Clack credits Mitchell College with putting him on a path to meet his future goals. A sport management major who plays on the Mitchell College Men’s Soccer team and is vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, Nolan is also interning at G’s Fitness and Nutrition in Waterford, where he is helping other athletes as a personal trainer. All those commitments make for busy days, but Nolan is up for the task.

After spending the summer as a client at G’s, he moved to a fall internship, working almost every day for a couple of hours each day.

“I built a relationship with the trainers who work at G’s over the summer, so this has been a nice transition. In my internship I began to help the athletes who work out there with strength training and conditioning,” he said.

“This internship has helped guide me in figuring out what part of the fitness industry I want to be in. It also has shown me how beneficial it can be working with younger athletes. That’s my favorite part of what I’m doing. I like to see the progress they have made from the time they started to where they are after each workout.”

Nolan said that he regularly uses skills he has learned through the Mitchell Ability Model in his work with his clients at the gym.

“I often have to create a different way to solve problems by understanding clients’ wants and needs and figuring out how to work around little problems. I also work with diverse group of people with different perspectives, so I have been able see why they think a certain way,” Nolan said.

Beyond the satisfaction of the work itself, “a great perk of doing my internship at the gym is that I can work out and train there once I am done for the day,” he said.

“Mitchell has done a great job setting me up for success and assisting me with what I need to better my future. I was drawn to the small classroom settings and better learning atmosphere, plus the private beach and the recent years of success in the athletics program.”

Funding to Help Upskill Regional Workforce

Nov 28, 2022 | News

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) recently visited the Mitchell College campus to present the College with newly released Community Project funding of $550,000 for its Digital Innovation Hub for Educational Excellence (DIHEE). Mitchell College President Tracy Y. Espy, Ph.D., received the check on behalf of the College, joined by trustees Michael J. O’Connor and Nancy Dolan, New London Mayor Michael Passero, State Representative Anthony Nolan, Mitchell College students Aizhane Glenn, Nia Gethers and Thomas Simmons, as well as other College stakeholders involved in the project.

Courtney was instrumental in securing the funding for the DIHEE, which will offer industry-demand programs via certifications, badges, micro-credentials and advanced credentials in STEM and Mental Health fields. Karen Bellnier, director of digital innovation, was hired to administer the program, partnering with college officials and professional organizations to develop new programming.

Bellnier said, “The DIHEE marks a new direction for Mitchell College and allows us to meet the learning needs of the adult regional workforce. Learners will engage with micro-credential learning, dubbed ‘the Mitchell Micro,’ to prepare to earn industry certifications and strengthen business skills. Learner support is a key component of the Mitchell Micro, and the Hub will provide help with tools and technology, learning success and connecting with careers and community, digitally and on campus. Located in the Mitchell College Library, the Hub will provide technical and learning support via written and video resources and live sessions, and opportunities for peer engagement.”

Professional certification preparation includes IT, cybersecurity and project management, as well as Lean Six Sigma Yellow & Green. Courses will prepare learners to take certification exams and provide vouchers to take the exam.

The Mitchell College Library will house flexible learning and collaboration spaces and provide access to computers and support staff for the digital learning supported by the Digital Innovation Hub.

President Espy said, “Meeting the needs of the community and regional industry to prepare the workforce for in-demand careers is paramount to the well-being of our region and our state. The DIHEE provides access, connectedness and flexibility to a whole new group of learners who are seeking to upskill and expand their job opportunities. We are grateful that Congressman Courtney supports Mitchell College’s vision to support and grow Connecticut’s workforce in alignment with the state’s workforce development goals, and the needs of the region.”