At a recent program sponsored by Mitchell College’s Multicultural Student Union, Chief Jorge Baracutei Estevez spoke about the history, spirituality and culture of the indigenous Higuayagua Taino people of the Caribbean in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.

A lifelong researcher and investigator of Caribbean indigenity, Chief Estevez worked for 25 years for the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. He continues his research through Higuayagua: Taino of the Caribbean, a non-profit organization established in 2011 to provide educational, cultural and linguistic resources to anyone wanting to connect with their Indigenous Caribbean ancestry.

“Today we are reliving and reviving our culture,” he said. The Higuayagua Taino tribe currently has more than 2,000 members.

Chief Estevez told the audience that Taino were the tribe encountered by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

“We discovered Columbus,” he said, noting that Columbus and his crew were lost and wound up on the island — “our home” — populated by Taino.

He said that after 1565, the Spanish proclaimed the Taino people extinct, a notion that is untrue. Although the Taino people disappeared from paper, Chief Estevez said family histories kept Taino alive. As he was growing up in the Dominican Republic, he said that his mother and others in his community identified as “Indian.”

“The Taino language left a deep imprint” on the Spanish language and the English language, with many words deriving from the Taino language, such as canoe, hammock, maize and tobacco.

Through his work with the Smithsonian, Chief Estevez spent eight years visiting several countries in the Caribbean to research indigenity, studying eight markers — identity, oral tradition, material culture, customs/traditions, agricultural practices, language, spirituality and DNA/Genetics — and countering the myth of extinction.

Retelling the history of the Taino indigenous people helps dispel that myth.

“Instead of creating a narrative, let people decide it for themselves,” he said.

Megan Griffin, Mitchell College’s AmeriCorps VISTA, has a wealth of organizing and community development experience from across the United States and beyond. When she had the opportunity to bring her skills to Mitchell – which she describes as a “hidden gem” – she took it. During her one-year term of service (through August 2023), she is charged with building the architecture of a service-learning program for Mitchell.

“This particular project really piqued my interest,” she said. “As someone with experiences in community organizing, as well as academic research, the notion of helping students to feel more embedded in the local community and helping them discover and develop their potential as agents of change really resonated with me,” she said.

Megan cites several reasons for why it is important for students to connect to the larger community.

“As one of my professors used to say: Mentis vita pro vita mundi—the life of the mind for the life of the world. Mitchell is all about developing the power of unique minds, and I think each student here has particular experiences, skills and understandings of the world that are important to share with the community,” she said.

“I also think this experiential learning opportunity will complement students’ education, and help them to think creatively, systemically and independently about social, environmental and economic challenges and help them explore how to apply their education to meet any challenge, be it professional, personal or social.”

“Lastly,” she said, “I think it’s a wonderful way for students to learn more about themselves, and to develop their interests, values and commitments.”

To better understand the current interests of students in service-learning, Megan created a brief online survey for them to complete and has been doing other outreach.

“So far, a little over 100 respondents have taken the survey. That gives us some helpful insight into what issues, organizations and service-based activities interest them. I’ve also been tabling, visiting classrooms and speaking one-on-one with students about this new opportunity,” she said.

She said that she has begun to develop a rapport with some students and feels inspired by their interest in a diversity of issues and how they conceive of community work and their role in the community.

Although it can be challenging to appeal to busy students, Megan said, “the novelty of this project also provides more opportunity for students to give meaningful input in shaping what service-learning at Mitchell will become.”

After completing her time in the AmeriCorps VISTA program, Megan, who will receive her master’s degree in rural sociology from Penn State in December, said that she would like to pursue a career in higher education, “ideally in a position that engages with the public good. Colleges and universities are such a hub for self-discovery, self-exploration and the creation of new knowledge. These are things that could be applied to address the ‘wicked problems,’ inequities and injustices facing our world.”

The Mitchell College Board of Trustees is proud to announce six new members who have been welcomed over the last year. New trustees include Andrew Koha, assistant vice president of government relations at Principle LTC; Cornell Yarbrough, DJ and founder of Whutever it takes DJ Academy, and Mitchell College alumnus; Kerin Da Cruz, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for L+M Healthcare/Yale New Haven Health; Norman Solomon, J.D., entrepreneur; Jason Guyot, president and CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mitchell College alumnus; and Michael J. O’Connor, site vice president of Dominion Energy’s Millstone Power Station.

Board of Trustees Chair Richard D’Avino said, “Together with my fellow trustees, I am thrilled to welcome these six new colleagues to the Mitchell College Board of Trustees. They perfectly represent the breadth and diversity of the vibrant Mitchell College community, including senior executives of three of Connecticut’s largest and most successful employers, a Mitchell College parent, experts in healthcare and distinguished Mitchell alumni. I know that the entire community joins me in thanking each of them for their dedication and service to Mitchell College.

The new trustees join the board at a time of growth and transformation at Mitchell College, as the college embarks on its new strategic plan, strengthens outreach in the community, builds new partnerships, and develops new programming aligned with workforce, community and student needs.”

Initiatives currently in development or underway include the Digital Innovation Hub for Educational Excellence, which will drive industry-demand curricular offerings in STEM and behavioral health; a partnership with University of Saint Joseph to offer its Master of Social Work program on the Mitchell campus; and a dual-enrollment partnership with New London Public Schools, providing opportunities for New London High School students to gain both college credit and experience through on-campus Mitchell College coursework.

The addition of the expertise and talent of these six newest trustees to an already extraordinary Board of Trustees comes at an exciting time for Mitchell College.

Mitchell College recently welcomed Kim Hodges ‘03 as director of advancement. In her role, she will work to grow the Annual Fund, nurture and build community relationships, create and work with the Parent and Family Leadership Advisory Council, cultivate and grow Mitchell’s donor base, and coordinate and attend events related to development goals.

She returns to Mitchell, having worked at the institution from 1995–2012 in various positions, including director of parent programs, director of admissions and in alumni relations.

Hodges most recently served as director of admissions, communications and marketing for Saint Bernard School in Uncasville. Prior to that, she directed admissions research and planning at Johnson and Wales University.

Nancy Cowser, chief advancement and alumni affairs officer, said, “I am so thrilled to be welcoming Kim back to Mitchell College. She brings with her a wealth of experience and contacts and is an absolute joy to work with. She is truly going to help us continue the forward momentum that Mitchell is experiencing.”

Hodges said, “Mitchell is my alma mater, and I feel an affinity to the school for helping me accomplish my educational goals. I also know that everyone here plays a role in helping students learn, grow and discover their bright futures and their best selves. I know so many stories about the profound impact that Mitchell has had on students, and I look forward to continuing to build support to serve students in the best ways possible.”

Pictured above (l-r): Mitchell College President Tracy Y. Espy and New London Public Schools Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie sign a partnership agreement.

Mitchell College and New London Public Schools (NLPS) are partnering to provide dual enrollment to New London High School (NLHS) students, giving them an opportunity to take courses at Mitchell College. Mitchell College President Tracy Y. Espy and NLPS Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie signed a dual-enrollment partnership agreement at a recent orientation and ice cream social for the dual-enrolled NLHS students at Mitchell College.

President Espy said, “We are thrilled to welcome students from New London High School to our campus this fall, and to rekindle our partnership with the New London Public Schools, in alignment with the goals of the Governor’s Workforce Council’s focus on affordable access to higher education for Connecticut students. There is no better way to find out what college is about than for students to engage in a classroom with a professor and fellow students. The courses being offered this fall to NLHS students will not only open their minds to possible career paths, but will also help them think about greater societal issues in the world today. At Mitchell, our goal is to not only prepare students for career, but also to nurture an understanding of the world around them.”

NLHS students, who are identified by NLHS guidance counselors and teachers, will have the opportunity to enroll in a choice of three Mitchell College courses for Fall 2022: Introduction to Applied Exercise Science, Introduction to Early Childhood Education and Introduction to Race, Ethnicity, and Culture. Additional courses will be offered in Spring 2023.

Superintendent Ritchie said, “New London Public Schools is incredibly excited about partnering with Mitchell College on this dual enrollment initiative. The program allows us to provide our high school students with college experiences, including being involved and connected to on campus staff and activities, early on. Connecting high school students to these experiences now will allow them to see themselves as future college students and successful graduates. We are grateful for this partnership, with Mitchell College, on behalf of our students!”

NLHS students who successfully complete 6+ credit hours at Mitchell and earn a grade of “C” or better in each course will be given priority admissions to Mitchell College upon successful completion of their high school diploma.

In addition, enrolled NLHS students will receive a Mitchell identification card, which will enable them to access the Mitchell College library and dining hall and events of interest (such as athletics and performing arts). Mitchell College tutoring services will also be available to dual-enrolled students.