Abstract
Chance identifies as a cis Latinx male. He is a new professional at a large research institution working with TRIO, a college access and support program. Chance is new to the state and adjusted well during his first year out of graduate school. However, during the second year in his role Chance experienced a campus evacuation due to a bomb threat. Chance provided extra support to his mentees after the lockdown which stretched his emotional bandwidth. A few weeks after the lockdown two of Chance’s mentees passed away in a car accident. Chance began to struggle with his mental health due to the incidents which impacted his performance at work. Chance discussed his experiences with his supervisor and trusted colleagues but was still struggling with his mental health. Chance decided to talk to a mentor to help process how to move forward.
Keywords: Latinx, campus lockdown, student death, mental health, supervision, advocacy, mentorship
Primary Characters
Chance (he/him/his) is a 26 year old higher education professional who recently graduated with a B.S. in Business and a M.S. in Higher Education Administration. Chance is a cis Latinx male and is a first-generation college graduate.
Nyla (she/her/hers) is a Black cis woman in her 40s and has been at Valketta University for 10 years. Nyla worked in Housing & Residence Life before transitioning into TRIO. Nyla has two college aged sons who attend Valketta university.
Luna (they/them/theirs) is a 32 year old white, non-binary new professional. Luna has worked as the university’s Basic Needs Coordinator for four years. Luna met Chance during a division meeting and the pair instantly connected over their love for astrology and Taco Bell.
Marcella (she/they) is a Afro-Latinx cis woman in her late 40s. Marcella has worked in higher education for 15 years and met Chance at a conference three years ago. Marcella mentored Chance during his last year of undergrad and throughout graduate school. Marcella currently services as the Director of the Center for Inclusive Excellence at a university in New Mexico.
Context
Valketta University (VU) is a large public research university in Arizona. VU is located in the capital city of Phoenix and serves 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The campus community at VU is rooted in student activism and enrollment is increasing due to a recent change to allow nearby out-of-state students in-state tuition.
The Case
Chance recently started a new position as the Student Support Services (SSS) Coordinator at Valketta University after completing his Higher Education Administration degree. As the SSS Coordinator Chance will oversee the tutoring program for TRIO students and coordinate leadership and mentorship programs. Chance was a first-generation college student who began his collegiate journey at community college before transferring to a nearby satellite campus to complete a Bachelor of Science in Business. He has a passion for serving historically marginalized communities and helping them achieve their goals. Additionally, Chance values student/staff mentorship because of the personal impact it had on his college experience.
During the first academic semester into the role, Chance was intentional about familiarizing himself with the campus and community since he moved from New Mexico to Arizona. He attended various division meetings and trainings to build relationships across departments. Chance was transitioning well into the role and was able to make several close relationships with different colleagues in his department and others. Chance developed a positive relationship with his supervisor Nyla. Nyla noted on Chance’s end of the semester evaluation that Chance was exceeding expectations in administration, department vision, and relationship building. Chance felt confident in the work he was doing and was looking forward to the next semester when he was going to start a new mentoring program for the SSS students.
Chance spent the next semester working hard to get a new mentorship program running and recruited 20 students. In addition to coordinating the mentorship program, Chance oversaw the tutoring and leadership development programs offered by the department. Chance developed supportive relationships with the students he mentors and tutors he supervises. At the end of the calendar year of his first professional role, Chance felt confident going into year two. Chance had developed a strong support system socially and professionally that aided in his success.
Early in the next fall semester, Chance was in the Union going to the package center when a building alarm went off. Chance headed toward the exit expecting it to be the building fire alarm but saw a university alert on his phone that stated there was a bomb threat in the Union. Once outside and in the evacuation zone set up by campus police, Chance saw some of his mentees and went to check in with them. Many were frightened by what was happening and one began to have a panic attack. Luckily, Chance and this student had talked about their panic attacks before and Chance knew how to help reduce their anxiety. Chance stayed with the group and provided additional emotional support until campus was clear.
In the weeks after the situation, Chance and other student facing student affairs professionals provided additional support to students through 1:1 and group meetings and programming. Chance started noticing his own sleep disturbances, headaches, and exhaustion in the context of this work. Chance took a few days of PTO, but when he returned to work on Monday, Nyla informed him that two of his mentees were in a car accident over the weekend and passed away. Nyla stayed with Chance while he processed through the news and provided resources via the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) such as a few sessions of counseling with a mental health provider.
Chance attended the funerals for his mentees and helped the other mentees organize a vigil at the university. Many of the mentees started to hang out in the TRIO office more than usual in order to be in community together. Chance tried to offer support for the students while managing his workload. Chance became overwhelmed at work, started experiencing detachment from things that normally bring him joy, and was in a state of extreme sadness. Other coworkers commented on Chance’s change in behavior and missed deadlines. In Chance’s 1:1 with Nyla, Chance shared that he was struggling with his mental health and didn’t know how to improve it. Nyla validated Chance’s experiences and encouraged Chance to seek help from a mental health provider. Chance was unsure about seeking professional help since the few sessions he tried through the EAP left him more exhausted talking about his grief, however, he agreed he would talk with trusted individuals about what he is experiencing.
The next week Chance set up a lunch meeting with Luna, the Basic Needs Coordinator, who Chance met at a division meeting the previous year. Chance and Luna have a good working relationship and have partnered on various events. During the meeting Chance asked how Luna was doing with the events of the semester and Luna stated that they were managing things decently and were glad they already had a therapist in the area. Chance and Luna talked more about Chance’s mental health and coping with the loss of his students. After the meeting, Chance felt a little relieved and supported but started thinking about other ways to cope with his emotions. Chance decided to reach out to his mentor, Marcella, to process through his struggles at work and mental health.
Marcella and Chance met via Zoom as they work at different institutions in different states. After catching up about Marcella’s new baby, Chance shared that he was struggling at work with boundaries with students and his inability to focus causing his performance to not meet his expectations. Marcella thanked Chance for his vulnerability and asked open ended questions to learn more about the situation. Chance stated, “I don’t know. I feel like I just need a break. This is a lot to deal with and I don’t know how I am supposed to take care of myself and my mentees and supervisees.” Marcella asked Chance if he had taken time off since either situation. Chance stated that he took two days off after the bomb threat, but nothing else. Marcella encouraged Chance to take some more PTO or utilize FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) if he needed additional time away from work. Chance said he did not know what FMLA was, and Marcella explained that FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and/or medical reasons. Chance and Marcella talked for another 30 minutes about whether Chance could afford to take unpaid leave and questions to ask a university Leave Coordinator before wrapping up their conversation. Chance thanked Marcella for talking with him and agreed to check back in a few weeks.
Discussion Questions
- What additional support could Nyla offer to Chance as his supervisor?
- What department and institutional resources could each of the characters utilize in this situation?
- Besides talking with Nyla and Marcella, what other resources might Chance use on campus before deciding to take FMLA?
- If Chance chooses to use FMLA, how can Nyla support the rest of the team and students until Chance returns?
Author Bios
Amber Davies (she/her/hers) – Amber is currently serving as a Residence Director at Johns Hopkins University where she oversees a second year community and serves in capacities including student recruitment and first year experience. Amber has obtained her bachelor’s degree from Stockton University and a master’s degree from Clemson University.
Victoria Goetzinger (she/her/hers) – Victoria is currently serving as a Community Director at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she oversees a multi-year community, Residential Learning Program, and serves in leadership roles for Student Staff Training & Development. Victoria is a proud first-generation college graduate receiving a master of education in Student Affairs & Counselor Education from Clemson University and a bachelor of science in Sociology from Emporia State University.
Kayla Hood (she/her/hers) – Kayla is a recent graduate with a Master of Education in Counselor Education, Student Affairs with interests in social justice theories/practices, intersectionality, and holistic wellbeing. Kayla currently works at Davidson College as the Assistant Director for the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion.