Four Residential Life staff members presented at the ACPA - College Student Educators International's Institute for the Curricular Approach (ICA) in October 2023: Assistant Director for Residential Education Chris Ambrose, Community Director Sam Ferrigno, Community Director Danielle Parker, and Residential Education and Leadership Coordinator Grace Collins. Community Director Charlito Iwuagwu helped develop the presentation, entitled "The 'With' Box - Infusing Restorative Practices in the Review Process."

UMBC Residential Life was chosen as an ICA spotlight institution because of its well-developed residential curriculum that is rooted in restorative practices. Ambrose says, "It was a great professional development opportunity for all of us. We really enjoyed showcasing our institution and all of the hard work that has gone into making our residential education experience strong for our students." 

Presenters shared UMBC's journey in the review process of the residential curriculum, the creation process in improving areas within the curriculum, and the benefits of implementing the restorative philosophy throughout the whole process. They engaged key stakeholders, including RA's, the Residential Education Team (community directors and some graduate assistants), and residents. Outcomes included gaining more information about residents' knowledge and experience with the curriculum; assessing curriculum implementation and creating supporting tools to improve implementation; and revising curriculum sequencing and creating better learning outcomes.

Retriever Integrated Health celebrates Native American Heritage Month this November.  In the United States there are 574 federally-recognized American Indian tribes and Alaska Native entities that have a wide range of diverse values, beliefs, backgrounds, and speak over 200 languages.  While the largest populations of Indigenous/Native people are in some Mid-West and Western states, 2.1% of Maryland's population identifies as American Indian and Alaska Native based on the 2020 Census data, a 119% increase from 2010.  

When it comes to health, AI/AN populations have many protective factors that support well-being including (but certainly not limited to) holistic approaches to life, nurturing family bonds, a strong identification with culture, adaptability, and enduring spirit.  Participating in shared and meaningful traditions and following the wisdom of the Elders help cultivate and develop Indigenous identity.  

We also know the impact of colonization on Indigenous/Native cultures has left many health disparities within communities.  

• Barriers to treatment include distrust of government, lack of access in rural communities, and lack of culturally competent providers in addition to economic barriers.
• Multi-generational trauma that leaves people vulnerable to mental illness, substance abuse, and suicide.  
• In 2019 18.7% of AI/NA adults reported experiencing a mental illness in the last year.  
• National data also shows earlier initiation of drug and alcohol use compared to other races/ethnicities and that the suicide death rate for Native/Indigenous people ages 15-19 years is more than double that of non-Hispanic whites.  

It is with both these protective and risk factors that RIH encourages Indigenous/Native students to reach out and schedule needed medical and mental health appointments in addition to connecting to cultural resources within the community.  RIH medical services include sick care as well as preventative care (including immunizations).  RIH counseling services are free and confidential for students.  

Some community organizations that support Indigenous/Native health include:

• Native American LifeLines, LLC
• One Sky Center
• WeRNative
• StrongHearts Native Helpline for domestic and sexual violence

References:

https://nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Indigenous

As a Aspen Senior Impact Fellow, Vice President for Student Affairs Renique Kersh, Ph.D., co-authored a report focused on the advancement of youth leadership development opportunities. "Advancing Youth Development Leadership Research," was published in October 2023 under the new name of the organization that spun off of Aspen, The Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity, along with an additional report on "The Future of Youth Leadership Development Practice." 

Dr. Kersh was named a Senior Impact Fellow by the Aspen Institute in 2022. The program highlights the need to offer leadership development to a new generation of youth leaders. According to Aspen, "fewer than 32% of youth under the age of 25 in the United States are exposed to any form of leadership development." With the goal of increasing youth exposure to leadership programs above 50% over the next five years, the Fellows provide opportunities for youth to cultivate their talents and prepare them to address political, social, and scientific issues.

Another concrete goal of the Fellows' work is the development and testing of the Aspen Institute Leadership Development Index (Aspen Index), a digital tool to measure personal leadership capacities, accelerate growth, and improve the quality of leadership programs. A valuable tool for self-assessment, The Aspen Index "equips individuals, teams, and programs to define, measure, and elevate their potential and deepen their impacts."