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Renowned Disabilities Advocate Shares Story, Poetry, Inspiration

Spoken-word poet, advocate for people with disabilities, and motivational speaker LeDerick Horne has appeared at the White House, the United Nations, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and State Departments of Education across the United States. He recently spoke at Mitchell College to students, faculty and staff, sharing his poetry and story of growing up with a learning disability as part of a program hosted by the Bentsen Learning Center (BLC) and sponsored by the Aramont Foundation.

Horne recounted his struggles with reading and his fear of being publicly embarrassed during read-aloud time in the classroom, saying he “spent time hiding in the bathroom and at the nurse’s office” and figuring out how to pre-read passages to familiarize himself with difficult words before being asked to read. Labeled with a learning disability in third grade, he was moved to a special education class, which he likened to being in “solitary confinement or a deserted island.” After a few years began to call himself stupid and dumb.

However, later in his school years he felt he was looked at as “an intellectual” in school, enjoying debating with others and excelling in track and cross country, as well as art. Despite these accomplishments, as he neared the end of high school and began thinking about his future he worried about his “sub-par reading skills” and wondered if he could do work that he would be proud of. He struggled with mental health issues and school absences and suffered an emotional breakdown during his junior year of high school.

But with the support of his parents (Horne said he “won the parent lottery”) and his own resilience, he used that experience to redefine who he was, realizing “there was nothing wrong with me.”

Horne decided to pursue college and began at community college at Middlesex County College in New Jersey. There he built up his skills and found a community of other people with disabilities, and together they shared their stories and celebrated their victories. He also developed more of an understanding about how the mind works. He eventually transferred to New Jersey City University, where he graduated with honors and a B.A. in mathematics with a minor in fine arts.

Co-author of the book “Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities: A Path to Pride and Success,” Horne shared his words of wisdom, encouragement and advice:

  • Disability is a natural part of human diversity.
  • If there is normal, normal is all discrepancies that happen in human beings.
  • Develop an understanding of who you are, regardless of disability or not.
  • Be self-reflective.
  • Practice an asset-based understanding of a disability—what strengths are.
  • There is a need for people to be celebrated for places where they are excellent.
  • Be open about challenges.

Finally, he shared his formula for happiness: “Don’t judge yourself by other people.”

Attorney General William Tong Named Mitchell College Class of 2023 Commencement Speaker

Mitchell College marks its 79th Commencement Exercises on Sat., May 13, with Attorney General William Tong delivering the keynote address to the Class of 2023. The ceremony takes place at 10 a.m. on the Mitchell College Green.

William Tong is the 25th attorney general to serve Connecticut, taking office in 2019, and now serving his second term. He was the first Asian American elected to statewide office in Connecticut, and the first Chinese American to be elected attorney general nationwide. He served for 12 years as a state representative in the Connecticut General Assembly, where he served as House chairman of the Judiciary Committee as well as the Banking Committee.

Dr. Tracy Y. Espy, Mitchell College president, said, “We are truly honored that Attorney General Tong will deliver the keynote address to our graduating class. As a public servant he has addressed issues that touch the lives of Connecticut residents, including many of our students and their families. His lived experiences are sure to inspire our graduates, and we look forward to welcoming him.”

In his work as attorney general, and previously as a state legislator, William Tong has been dedicated to safeguarding civil rights and freedoms, protecting the rights of women, minority communities, immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. Attorney General Tong is a national leader in many of the most consequential lawsuits and investigations in our country today, including bipartisan, multistate efforts to hold companies and individuals accountable for their role in the opioid crisis; to restore fair competition and prices in the generic drug industry; to hold social media companies accountable for the harms they may cause to kids and young people; to stop robocall scammers; and to ensure corporations safeguard our personal information from misuse and respect consumers’ rights regarding the collection and use of their information.

A Connecticut native and the oldest of five children, Attorney General Tong grew up in the Hartford area working side-by-side with his immigrant parents in their family’s Chinese restaurant. He attended schools in West Hartford and graduated from Phillips Academy Andover, Brown University and the University of Chicago Law School. He and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Stamford with their three children.

New Academic Programs for In-Demand Careers

Answering a need to prepare students to pursue in-demand jobs—and to provide the economy with workplace-ready employees—Mitchell College is unveiling several new academic options starting the Fall 2023 semester. The new majors include two new bachelor’s degrees and two new associate degrees:

  • Business Management (B.S.)
  • Public Health (B.A.)
  • Computer and Data Information Systems (A.S.)
  • General Studies, with a focus on Workplace Readiness (A.A.)

Vice President for Academic Affairs Elizabeth A. Beaulieu, Ph.D., said, “Mitchell College strives to be a contributing leader in workforce development, preparing students through market-relevant programs to enter in-demand fields. The new programs add to an already wide variety of disciplines in areas of high student interest and high employer demand.”

She added, “For our bachelor’s programs, introductory to advanced coursework provides content knowledge and skills, and our Integrative Career Development (ICD) program provides career preparation for our students. Career planning begins with our First-Year Experience, followed by a second-year, discipline-specific career seminar and culminates in upper-level mastery courses and practical application courses, including internships, research courses and/or capstones. Students pursuing an associate degree also have full access to career development support from ICD. This degree can also be stepping stone to more advanced education.”

The Bachelor of Science in Business Management is designed to prepare students to be “work ready” within their chosen business career. Students will learn to evaluate management situations and apply appropriate professional methods to improve operations, solve problems and deliver results. Through an experiential learning approach, students are empowered with knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors required to pursue careers in business and management. They will also study environmental, social and economic systems and emerging megatrends which affect contemporary business operations, with a focus on small and family business. Specializations within the major include entrepreneurship and innovation, project management and organizational transformation, and digital marketing. Additionally, Michael’s Dairy, a popular local business on Mitchell’s campus, will serve as a “learning lab” for students enrolled in the business major.

The Bachelor of Arts in Public Health focuses on community health. The degree equips students with an understanding of public health principles and the skills and knowledge needed to address community health problems and improve assessment, cultural competence and advocacy. The curriculum includes courses in health promotion and disease prevention, health policy, and social and behavioral health, among others. It also offers hands-on experience through a community-based internship and prepares students for careers in a wide range of public health settings, including health departments, non-profit organizations, community health centers and government agencies. Graduates may also pursue advanced degrees in public health or related fields.

The Associate of Science in Computer and Data Information Systems is designed to meet student demand for technology-centric academic experiences aligned with 21st-century workforce needs. Students who enroll in the program will develop computer programming skills using multiple software platforms and use those skills to examine and analyze data and develop conclusions that apply to data-driven decisions about problems in real time. This degree program will also include an option for students to test for industry certification in cybersecurity through Mitchell’s Digital Innovation Hub for Educational Excellence (The Hub).

The Associate of Arts in General Studies focuses on workplace readiness, combining traditional courses in liberal education—such as literature, history and social sciences—with transferable hard and soft skills needed to succeed in the workplace. Hard skills include writing, reading comprehension, verbal communication and technology readiness. Soft skills include leadership, critical and creative thinking, community and collaboration and analysis and problem-solving. Mastery of these skills creates a foundation for careers in social services, business administration, marketing, healthcare, retail services and other business sectors or for pursuing a four-year degree.

Community Invited to Join Walk for Suicide Prevention

The Mitchell College Mental Health Club is hosting its second annual Out of the Darkness Walk to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) on Saturday, April 1, 2023, and invites the community to participate.

Sponsored by the AFSP, the Mitchell College Out of the Darkness Campus Walk 2023 will begin at the Mitchell College Green. Registration starts at 11:30am; the walk begins at 1pm.

Register ahead of time online or on the day of the walk and join an existing team, create your own team or register as an individual. Participation is free, but it is a fundraiser, and the day’s overall goal is $5,000. If you create your own team, you can set your own unique fundraising goal. The funds raised help to support the AFSP.

All are welcome to join us on our campus as we remember loved ones lost to suicide and support suicide prevention. Together we can change the conversation and end the stigma behind suicide and mental health.

“In our Community, Campus and Overnight Walks, those affected by suicide – and those who support them – raise awareness and much-needed funds, strongly sending the message that suicide can be preventable, and that no one is alone.” (afsp.org)

For questions, please contact:
Kayla Vargas-Estevez, Walk Coordinator
Kayla.vargasestevez@my.mitchell.edu

Antaya Lee, Director of Student Engagement and Orientation
Lee_A@mitchell.edu

For more information and to register online, click here.

Building Local Partnerships to Benefit Students, Employers

Mitchell College recently hosted a Community Partner Breakfast that included representatives from 28 organizations in Southeastern Connecticut who joined Mitchell staff and faculty to explore partnerships to provide student learning opportunities and meet employer needs. The organizations represented both current and potential partners in behavioral health, culture and tourism, disability services, education, healthcare, immigration support services, mental health services, and suicide prevention and awareness.

In addition to looking at the value of long- and short-term partnerships as pathways for students to be service learners, interns and potential employees, participants discussed how Mitchell College could provide other resources to help their organizations advance their own missions and also assist in solving local community challenges.

Mitchell College strives to continue to form and strengthen a symbiotic relationship with community partners that can offer students work experience, industry insights, skills development, mentorships and professional contacts, while giving community organizations access to a talent pipeline. Benefiting the local and regional community, these relationships can also lead to higher rates of civic engagement, increased awareness of relevant issues, a healthier community, enhanced reputation and culture and problem solving.

Participating organizations (alpha order):

  • Brian’s Healing Hearts Center for Hope and Healing
  • Caramia Wellness
  • Child & Family Agency
  • Fellowship House
  • Girls on the Run
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • High Hope Therapeutic Riding
  • Hispanic Alliance of Southeastern CT
  • Homeless Hospitality Center
  • Immigration Advocacy Support Center
  • Lawrence & Memorial Hospital
  • Mystic Seaport
  • New England Science & Sailing Foundation
  • New London County Historical Society
  • New London Public Schools
  • Project LEARN
  • Reliance Health
  • Riverfront Children’s Center
  • Safe Futures
  • SARAH, Inc.
  • Salvation Army
  • Sound Community Services
  • The Arc Eastern Connecticut
  • The Light House
  • United Community & Family Services
  • United Way of Southeastern CT
  • Waterford Country School
  • Waterford Public Schools

Mitchell College Undergoes Evaluation for Re-Accreditation

Mitchell College is currently engaged in a re-accreditation process with the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), with whom the College has been accredited since 1956. The College was last reviewed in 2013.

NECHE is one of seven accrediting commissions in the United States that provide institutional accreditation on a regional basis. Accreditation is voluntary and applies to the institution as a whole. Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, NECHE accredits approximately 220 institutions in the six-state New England region as well as several American-style institutions overseas.

Mitchell College recently completed an 18-month self-study, “Building Forward for a Kaleidoscope of Learners,” focused on NECHE’s Standards for Accreditation. Faculty and staff from across the College comprised nine Standard Work Groups (SWGs) that were formed across functional areas to emphasize collaboration, maximize access to campus knowledge and optimize effectiveness.

“Mitchell College’s self-study process has been an opportunity for institutional self-reflection with community engagement, communication and transparency,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Elizabeth A. Beaulieu, Ph.D.

The SWGs compiled materials and led institution-wide engagement around Mitchell College’s accomplishments and goals aligning with NECHE’s Standards:
• Mission and Purposes
• Planning and Evaluation
• Organization and Governance
• The Academic Program
• Students
• Teaching, Learning and Scholarship
• Institutional Resources
• Educational Effectiveness
• Integrity, Transparency and Public Disclosure

As part of the re-accreditation process, an evaluation team will visit Mitchell College April 16-19, 2023 to confirm the accuracy of the self-study. Following their visit, the team will make a recommendation for continuing NECHE accreditation status for the College.

Also part of the process, the public is invited to submit comments to NECHE about the College, addressing substantive matters related to its quality. Submit comments to:

Public Comment on Mitchell College
New England Commission of Higher Education
301 Edgewater Place, Suite 210
Wakefield, MA 01880
E-mail: info@neche.org

Comments must be received by April 15, 2023.