Success at Southern Safely Getting Out of Our Comfort Zone to Support Students

Success at Southern is overcoming challenges by constantly striving to safely get out of our comfort zone to build mutually beneficial relationships that empower all of us to make the most of TRIO. My name is Shane Robinson and I was hired a little over six months ago as a TRIO Advisor for Success at Southern to support first-generation students.

Our Program Coordinator, Robin Williams, encouraged our staff to develop ideas to engage students in TRIO. To me, this meant we had to get out of our comfort zone, aka our office, and out from behind our computer screen to provide new and fresh opportunities for students and staff to bond over.

Since it was winter time, we started with an inside meet-and-greet entailing the largest potato bar I’d ever seen. To put it nicely it was a bit of a flop. We realized the adverse effects of COVID were still impacting in-person events so we shifted gears and went outside. Like Luana Stevens, our TRIO Office Specialist, said with a positive grin... “It can only get better from here!”

It can only get better from here!

With snow on the horizon and the local outside ice rink up and running, we decided to take students ice skating and then for some hot chocolate around a fire. Talk about getting out of your comfort zone. Nothing quite like strapping blades to your feet and then sliding around on the ice with pretty much strangers. Our wise Program Coordinator Robin Williams set up a private lesson and within an hour or so we were more or less ice skating together. More importantly, we were smiling and getting to know one another on a personal level. Around the fire, Robin asked what other types of cultural experiences they would like to participate in. A list of great ideas was put forth and they have been coming to fruition ever since.

Within the past six months, TRIO students and staff have gone on a wildlife safari, conducted a beach cleanup for TRIO Day of Service, celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a study jam/scavenger hunt, snowboarded Mt. Ashland, attended the Student Leadership Conference, hiked behind a waterfall at Silver Falls State Park and most recently attended Romeo and Juliet at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. This all required a leap of faith by students and staff to get out of our comfort zones and give it the old college try.

One of the best benefits of building relationships within TRIO while out of our comfort zone was the willingness of students to share the challenges they are facing. This provided TRIO staff the opportunity to offer and provide services to support them. TRIO students are hardworking students who have a lot of grit. Add to that great mindset tutoring for a multitude of majors and all of a sudden students are thriving in the classroom. Throw in some free one-credit classes and workshops to help with scholarships and FAFSA applications and all of a sudden students are overcoming financial barriers. Provide an online presence through our experienced Remote TRIO Advisor Jessie Foster and students are able to receive advising support online which is especially beneficial to our online students.

All in all, Success at Southern is overcoming challenges through building strong mutually beneficial relationships, providing a lot of services for students and having a lot of fun along the way!