ALANA Services

Everyone thanks for tuning in to the online events. I am Dennis villas and I'm the associate director for a line of services and that's what I'm here to talk about. So I have some slides prepared, but definitely feel free if there's anything you want to ask or know more about sending those questions. I'll definitely answer them as they come in and they will be time at the end after I'm done with the slides to also answer the question some super.

Excited that you're tuning and that you're watching and that you want to learn more about Alana because it's awesome and I'm happy to talk about it. So let's jump in. So, like I said, my name is Dennis. I'm the Associate Director and I've been at Williella since November, so I kind of feel like a first year student that came in an awkward time. So I kind of miss all the fun things like to welcome an orientation. But it's super great to be here and super fun to work in Alana, so.

Let's see if you've been to campus, are planning on visiting Amanda services were on the third floor of the Andrew White Student Center, just a super cool space that recently got renovated. So it's very modern. Lots of students always hanging out. So if you're on campus or planning on visiting, definitely feel free to stop by. We love visitors. I'm definitely love chatting with perspective students and their families, of course.

So we are, you know staff. We have the director and assistant director of program assists in and then we always have three graduate assistants. So our office is just kind of like a tight knit family. We love working with one another and the students like working with us or at least that's what they tell us. So hopefully they're not lying to us about that.

So in a lot of services we definitely have different target areas or areas that we like to focus on. Focus the work that we're doing on so things that cultural programming, the leadership development, more attention based office. So we obviously want our students to graduate and go on to get a successful career afterwards. We do a lot of advocacy and then we have some really great educational resources that we like to.

Get out and share with different campus partners and anyone that just wants more information about the work that we do or the students that were trying to support.

So in terms of some cultural programming, so a lot of our office is centered around programming and really celebrating all of the different various heritage related months. So whether it's Black History Month, whether it's celebrating the African diaspora, whether it's having next year, is this month. We also have Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, and so during those months in our student organizations, which I'll talk about in a little bit, they put on some really.

Impactful incredible programs that are open to the community. So it's really a fun time for students to learn about new cultures for people to celebrate their heritage and really be proud of who they are and to share that joy in that pride with the community.

Something else that we do that's really cool as we have on other graphical nature, which is an opportunity for students to come around to enjoy a cup of coffee and to practice your Spanish. So we have a beginners addition. And then we also have like an advance and native speakers. So with the beginners they get to play fun games and just kind of get a chance to practice your Spanish, like not in the classroom, into kind of a low pressure situation. And then if you speak Spanish fluently as just your way to kind of chat with other native speakers about different topics.

Whether it's food, music or even you know, kind of the political climate and a lot of the Latin American countries. So that's a really cool offerings that our office has each month.

In terms of leadership development, so we do have a number of student organizations and clubs that fall under our office so students have the opportunity to run for different executive board positions. Whether you want to be a president, whether you want to be treasurer, whether you just want to be a member, you can certainly join our clubs. We have. We have the opportunity, and we've done this in the past and will certainly keep doing this is to send our club leaders to different conferences so they have the opportunity to interact and mingle with different student leaders.

All across the country that are doing the same work.

A lot of times you know offices and apartments around campus will reach out to us about students that we might want to recommend or nominate for some really prestigious leadership opportunities. So far, students that are involved were able to give them nominations. OK, yes, I will serve as a reference. If you want to apply to be an array or an Evergreen, or is it get involved in something really cool on campus? And then obviously we're constantly advocating for the needs of our students? Are students of color.

I'm sure you might have gas, but it could have started by saying that Alana is an acronym that stands for Africa. Next Asian Native American services, so we really are targeting our students of color are under represented students, and those that might be more marginalized and their identities.

Some other things that we do. So like I said We are retention based office so we want our students to be successful both in and out of the classroom and we certainly want them to graduate in a timely manner and to go on and make a lot of money and buy me expensive gifts once they get those great jobs. So some of the things that we do and some of our initiatives are definitely based around retention. So we have man to man which brings together are men of color on campus around different topics and then we have different staff members, administrators and professors of color.

That also command and presents the guys on different topics. You know whether it's preparing for March Madness and how the men could be good sports and competitors, or even things like dating and not working in different things like that. And then we have a similar program for our women identified.

Community members of color. So we have sister to sister, so they also come around different topics. We always have really good food at all of these because we know in order to get students sometimes you have to bribe them with like pizza, wings, or even better cuisine like so food you know. Kirby include things like that. So those are just ways for us to just kind of chat informally with students around different topics and for students to interact with one another and also to meet different faculty and staff members at the University.

So we do a lot in terms of education. So the big thing with our educational resources are the academic and career in Richmond workshops or ace for short? So these are scheduled, its monthly and there around different topics, or whether it's preparing to upcoming test or a distressor. You know, we know that times to get really stressed and students are like crying. It swam in the library just getting no one's really crying that much. But we know that.

The exams and being a good student, our brand so a lot of our ace workshops are around different topics related to the educational experience and even things like you know, applying to grad school in hearing from students that are currently in grad school, 'cause a lot of our students like to take that route as well. So there's just a really great way for students to come in again, get some pizza and learning some really valuable information.

We also maintain a scholarship, an internship database, so we tried to just make sure that we always have really relevant information in terms of scholarships and opportunities to earn money and get internships because we know that's also a really important part of the experience here at Loyola. So we like to maintain an active database or students can look for resources that really support them and what they're trying to accomplish. And then we have a cultural library. So a lot of like books and resources.

So there's ever a topic that people want more information on. There certainly welcome to access our library and get those resources.

I'm some other things that we do. Obviously we want our students to be successful. I want to see every student that I interact with be the best version of themselves. They can be, and so a lot of what we do is tailored around making sure that students are successful. So academic code change, you know, just pulling in students that might be struggling and might need how we pull them in.

Just online to help provide internship opportunities. So this is the first question, so I'm very excited. So please, if you're tuning in, ask away. I feel like I'm going to YouTube channel and I'm answering questions for my fans, but I'm really excited to be here and to answer the questions so it doesn't want to help provide internship opportunities. So like I said, we definitely maintain a database with the latest internship opportunities and the latest scholarship opportunities. Alot of times different offices on campus will reach out to us with these opportunities. Whether it's for an internship.

An on campus job. A volunteer opportunity, and so we're able to promote that to our students. So anytime a student once more information about different internships available, we will connect them with the appropriate campus partner and we definitely will share that resource. So I would say yes, in some ways online it can help get some internship opportunities. And even if it's like serving as a reference or writing a recommendation, letters to help you secure that internship. Or also like we're always willing to do that. So the more we know you and the more you interact with our office the better, because then we can say like.

Yeah, you know.

Brendan's an incredible person. He should get this internship. You should get this shop opportunity. Let's make it happen. So yes.

I hope that answered your question.

So.

So like I said, so is talking about academical chains. I guess if students are struggling in the classroom, you know we're happy to meet with them to kind of talk about like are you aware of other resources that kind of talk through this help you get back on track and be successful in the classroom? We do some really cool things over the summer, so if there's any students out there listening and tuning in so students will be invited to apply for Ignition Scholars program. So that is for students that identifies either first generation.

Um, identifies a student of color. Or maybe they demonstrate financial need so students that fit into one of those criteria will get invited to join the nation scholars program. So that happens for two weeks in August before the rest of the first year class comes in. And it's Roberts unity to get acclimated on campus and also to Start learning about the city of Baltimore, which is such a great city. So there's a lot of fun excursions. You get a lot of academic cold chain, you get to interact with different faculty and staff.

And it's just a great experience. Will definitely be on the lookout for that.

Our office also offers the multicultural awareness program, so that's a pre fall program that students can sign up for. So those students that want to learn more about cultural diversity and getting engaged in that kind of conversation, you know the multicultural awareness program is a great way to meet other students and again to get comfortable on campus and also involves more so they do some really cool culture excursions in different restaurants and museums. And a lot of fun things. So 2 great programs that get involved with. So just when it's applied.

Lowe's and then we also have a mentoring program so for sure students can sign up. They can get immense war. They can learn from an Upper Class A lot of Sudan and there are there for you every step of the way. You know recommends a professor or ways to get involved on campus or fun things to do in the city. So that's also a really cool opportunity for you to get to know students and get more familiar on campus and just have a student that's been there to help guide you along the way.

How big is the Latino population at Leola? That is a really good question. I am not armed unfortunately, with specific breakdowns, but I will say you know each year the class in terms of students of color I Loyola increases and there's certainly intentionality behind that. Little prides itself on being a place that really values diversity, and we see that in the number of students that are emitted. But I will say, you know, since being here in November, I've interacted. I've met with so many Latino.

Students we have like a good number of students that actually come from Puerto Rico that are here and then also just kind of every other nationality represented. So even though I don't have the exact stat, I'm sure we can probably get that to you at some point. I will say it is a sizable population and you will find your fellow let me know your fellow Latina here on campus and that's just great to to interact with them as well.

So just some other things. Uhm, that we that I want you all to know. Sometimes people think I'm on it just refers to the organizations in the student clubs. And like I said, we definitely have are allowed to organizations. But a lot of services. You know where it's apartment where an office on campus.

We're not just an organization that you join. What part of students of element here? Lol. So we are a super important resource for our students. The other kind of misconception and things that people might have is that you only.

Have to identify as and a lot of students would be able to partake in our programs that are initiatives in our resources and that's not true you know? Our programs are services are resources. There inclusive for all students so whether you identify as Annalaina student or not. We want you to participate in our programs. We want you to do. ISP college program. We want you to be apart of the amount of mentoring program so.

Don't be afraid to join and participate because it is open to everyone.

I talked about being over attention based office. That's really important for us. We want our students will be successful.

The other kind of thing that comes out your question that we get a lot is, you know if I wanted to be a hand in Alana sooner organization, do I have to be or identify with that particular race or ethnic or cultural group? And the answer is no. Again, so you can identify as Latin X and be apart of allies, which is our Association of Latin American Spanish students. But you don't have to, and that's what's really great about our office. In our Department is that we are.

Just kind of an open door to everyone and not just soon as that identify as you know a lot.

And then like I said, we have Seven incredible organizations that are under our office. So we have the African Student Association or ASA. Like I said, we have the Association of Latin American Spanish students. We have our Asian Culture Alliance. We have the Black Student Association. We have the Caribbean Student Union. We have our Middle Eastern and South Asian Student Alliance and then we also have our Native American Student Association and so those last two are new or organizations are office. So we're really excited.

The students that are part of it, they put on some really great programs. They are so involved there still committed, and they're just great students to work with. So anyone that's coming to LA and want to be part of it, please join the organization or just come out and support the incredible events that they have going on because they worked really hard and that's what's riffic job. Programming and raising awareness and advocating for their peers.

What are some?

Events the different clubs in Atlanta hosts input on throughout the year. That is a great question, so I would go back so to give you some examples. Are African soon Association one of their large scale events? Each year is limoge and so in, Malaysia provides an opportunity for students to learn about African culture through food through music, tour performances, and so that's a major event. You know, there's a DJ. There's a photo booth, and there's also an opportunity for students are really immersed themselves and learn more.

But the culture are Asian Culture Alliance, so a big popular program they do is roll your own sushi. So you have the opportunity to learn how to roll your own sushi and then you can say you did so for people that love sushi and are obsessed with it. And this is like the program you have to come to. I don't eat seafood, which is like insane to mention in Baltimore. That's like a seafood capital of the world, but if you like seafood, if you like sushi in that program, that ACA does is for you.

Our Association of Latin American and Spanish students, you know they did Caribana

Which is a collaboration with the Caribbean student union, and so again, that's a way to learn more about the culture is in the countries in the Caribbean, through food. Through dance performance is just kind of a really interactive, cool way to get involved. Are Black Student Association. They do so much you know they sponsored a trip to the national African American History Museum in DC, so that was a few weekends ago. So I got to go to that. So that was really cool. Just kind of see just the history of African Americans in this country and all that they've done too.

You know, make this place, but it is, uhm?

The Blackstone Association also does their annual fashion shell like that's a major event, you know, normally a sellout where we get to show off clothing from different designers and vendors, and things like that, so that's definitely part of what the Black Student Association does.

Yeah, you know, with NASA we definitely celebrated Native American Heritage Month. We were able to bring in a really cool speaker who works at the American Indian museum here in Baltimore, and so students were able to try on traditional dress that Native Americans would wear. It really learn more of that culture through food and interaction. So our student clubs. Like I said, they do a lot like I give them so much credit. They work really hard. They try to come up with really cool, creative programs.

And so that's just a small small overview of what they do because they put on a lot of really cool programs, and there are always a hit. So but great question.

Just some contact information. You can definitely learn more about us, you know. Go to loyola.edu backslash on line up. All the information that you could possibly want is on. There obviously were on social media, so our biggest thing is on Instagram like that's where were the most active with stories and posts, and you can find all of our student organizations and you can follow them like us. Follow us. Love us. Become obsessed with us. We love interacting on social media, so it's definitely Instagram. Find us Atlanta underscore services.

And everything that you'll need will be will be there.

How do you get involved in Alana? Can you show that previous slide again? OK, sorry, was it the social media slide? I'll keep that one up and then I can go back to that other one. But how do you get involved with the London when you get to campus so?

Sure here before the semester starts. Whether you're joined the nation scholars program or whether you're joining the multicultural awareness program, that will be your first introduction to Alana. But if you kind of come in when all the other first year students come, we definitely are involved in the activities fear, so you can learn more about us. We definitely just try to have you know events going on during those first few weeks of the semester, so you can get to know as you can get to know organizations. Like I said, you can always stop.

Fire office and interact with any of us to learn more about who we are, what we do, but definitely just be on the lookout for, you know, I welcome back events for our table at the student activity sphere and then for all of the kind of summer and pre fall things that were involved with.

What can we expect from the stay over this weekend? So with the Atlanta overnight programs, you know I experienced my first one in February and this is going to sound dramatic, but it literally was like like changing and one of the best days that I've had at Loyola so far and have had a lot of really good days at legal look as it's great to work here, but the overnight what you can expect is you will have some sessions so you'll get to hear from different offices apartments.

Here from the Alanna staff, where they are, you'll hear from the office of undergraduate admission.

There's a really cool like hidden gem stores or different things that you don't normally see when you tore Loyola, there's a fun outing that happens during the day to experience a cool neighborhood that's near campus. Obviously, you're staying overnight, so you get to spend the night with the current amount of student. And there's evening activities that you go to soldiers midnight breakfast. There's different social opportunities, so it's just your way to get a feel for what it's like to be a student at will.

Um, pick the brains of our current students. You can ask him anything you hear from students. There's also sessions for parents and families, so there's like appearance, family, panel, appearance of families can hear from financial aid, so just expect a really fun day where you can get every question you've ever had answered. You have some cool fun things to do on and off campus, and then you get to spend the night in a college residence Hall having good food, chatting with a cool you know, sophomore, junior senior.

And then learning what makes loyal is special and what makes it a great place for our alarm students.

I have not signed up for the weekend. Is there still a spot available so that is more from the office of undergraduate admission side? So I would say there are the ones that are going to be spearheading all of the communication. So if you die in an email or outreach from them definitely responded just like, hey, I'm really interested in certain opportunity is just a little spot available and no, definitely be able to get you that information. I am hoping for you.

Fingers crossed that there is a spot available so you can partake in it because it is a really cool experience, but you know.

Again, there will be more of their mission side.

Is a lot of services helpful for both academic success and social successful ogola? Yes, I would say so. The number one thing I always tell students is so so important to get involved because not to get all lecturing and professor on you. But students that are involved. They tend to be more successful in the classroom. They tend to find their home away from home. They tend to have a community and those are the students that are happy that are thriving that are not wanting the transfer.

The students are just kind of go to class, go back to the room so really get involved. They don't have as great of experience so I would say whether you get involved with what a lot of has to offer or not. My biggest hit for any first year student or anyone coming in fine. At least one club, organization or way to get involved and go for it and do it because I'm telling you that's how you'll need your tribe, your people, and that's how you have a really terrific experience.

But yes, definitely is helpful. Both academics. So like I said, You know we are able to talk to students about their grades and I'm like, hey, maybe misrepresenting go so well for you. Maybe you're contemplating dropping a Coors or taking a different time. We have opportunities available for people to come in and talk to a strictly about academics, and we will give you data bytes in the resources and then obviously social success. Yes, are allowed. Us students are close knit, they get along so well. There constantly hanging out with one another, they're like.

That's us with each other and like a good way. Not like a Super Creepy Way. And so a lot of that is fostered by them getting involved. Whether it's in Alanna organization or just getting involved with what the office has to offer. So yes, I would say like if you're coming here, if you want to get involved. If you want to be successful in and out of the classroom, Alana is kind of your wind stop shop for that.

Leadership roles in Alana. That's a great question. So like I said, we have Seven terrific student organizations, and each of those organizations have keyboard, so you can run to be a president, vice president, treasurer, publicity. You know if you're good at creating Flyers or want to manage their social media pages. Those are opportunities. We also have leadership opportunities for the ignition scholars program. We always have two peer leaders, and those are upper class students that have been through the program. So you get a chance to.

Help the newbies so speak navigate that experience. We have a mentor opportunities so if you are an upper class amount of student and you want to get back and you want to have a mentee that you invite to Starbucks and reach out to an R constant communication, you can sign up to be a mentor. You can sign up to be a navigator. So for our multicultural awareness program the Navigators are loads upper class students that help facilitate the sessions and help get the program going. So that's another opportunity for you to get involved.

Yes, our with our office and so those are some really cool leadership roles that you can brag about on your resume and that makes you look really good. To say that you did all of these terrific things during your time. Really listen when an employer is looking at your resume, they're going to be like, OK, cool. That person was an error. That person was a mentor, a leader, a role model, and we definitely have those opportunities for students at within our office at.

So yes.

But please keep asking questions keep.

You know, typing away there's no such thing as a stupid question. I'm happy to answer whatever it is that you have on your minds, so please, if you have more questions, definitely submit those you know I'm here to talk about all things. Alotta because I'm obsessed with our office and what we do, and I definitely want to talk about it and brag about it as much as possible.

What is the CIA light? So someone mentioned the CIS, so the CIA is our our excuse me Center for intercultural engagement. So a lot of our programs happen in the CIE. It's this incredible space on campus tables and couches and a TV and students are there all the time that you'll always catch a student like napping on the couch or having lunch. And so the CI is pretty new space. It's beautiful state of the art class door, you know, just some really terrific space.

For students that come together to socialize, studied, so do the homework. So fall asleep on the couch is retired.

Programs just have.

Happened in that space, so it's a really cool space. Someone when it's in our contact information. There it is, so feel free to reach out via email. Call us if you're on around campus. Definitely stop by her office.

I should have my specific extension in case you like are obsessed with me and want to talk to me more specifically, but if you reach out to connect you with me on the flip side, if you're bored of me and think that I'm doing a terrible job and you don't want to connect to me, that's fine. There's other people in our office to chat with, so yes.

Are you only able to get involved in a lot of your first year or you can you join later, um, so you can get involved with Alana starting from Day One, and at any point over your four years. So some students like to wait until either their spring semester of their first year, or maybe even until their sophomore second involves. And that's totally fine. You know there's certainly no pressure to be a part of an organization, or to be a mentor or anything like that. Just know that with opportunities always exists.

So if you kind of want to wait forward, I'll get adjusted to school and life Loyola before getting involved. That's completely fine, totally normal, a lot of our students do that. Or if you're a go getter, you're super eager or you want to do everything. Yes, from day one. There's certainly opportunities again, involves.

I'm do you provide mentors through Alanna? Don't apologize, that's a great question. So yes, we have our Atlanta mentoring program. So first year students can sign up to be minties. So we will appear you with an upper class student that is at least the sophomore. Maybe there junior, maybe their senior and you'll have the opportunity to get paired up with a percent of that you know has been there has done that. They know what it's like to be a first Carolina student. They know what you're going through the transition.

No kind of all of your fears and your joys, and you know they're there to guide you every step of the way so we always have a lot of students that want to be mentors. We train them so they're prepared to be. Mentors are prepared to give you a really terrific experience, so that's something that you want to be a part of that for sure. Let us know, get signed up. The mentoring program is terrific, a lot of great events as well so that museum trip to the African American history Museum in DC. That was actually a collaboration with our Black Student Association.

Gonna be a lot of mentoring program so students involved in both initiatives were able to go and spend a few hours in DC and join that incredible museum and then coming back into the briefing.

I'm a lot of questions now in terms of how big the communities are. I wish I had specific stats to give you in terms of how big the Latino community as a Loyola and the African American population in the South Asian community. what I will say is that again, I feel like each year the groups the number of our students are allowed. Students continue to grow each year, so I will say like once you come on campus, a lot of students will say, you know well, you'll list the most diverse school they've been out because.

You're seeing so many different races and ethnicities Here it is. Here it is. Just nationalities represented here, so I don't have specific stats and numbers, so I do apologize. So sorry about that. I'm sure we can give you that information.

But you will find students. You will find like inside your try, but you have, you know, Latinos. African Americans are South Asian numbers are growing, which is why we got Mesa kind of back under our umbrella because people wanted to have an organization to support, you know, the South Asian community specifically. So I would say, you know, it's definitely a sizable a good number of our students represent or identify as Alana, so.

Uh, I just don't have the specific number, so I'm sorry, sorry about that.

Can you explain that diversity core requirement? That is a really great great question and that's more on the academic side. But I will say that there is a concerted effort for all students to have an opportunity when they're going through the core, and these required classes there definitely is an infusion of diversity, so we want students, whether they identify as a liner or not. We want all students to gain an understanding and appreciation of respect for the rich diversity that exists at Loyola.

So it'll be an opportunity for you as a student to take courses that are diversity related or related to issues of inclusion, inclusion, inclusion, inclusivity, and social justice. I can't speak today. I would say that is the diversity core just to have the opportunity to take classes and to immerse yourself in conversations around issues related to diversity here at Loyola. So that's like a really cool thing as well. So no matter what your major is.

You'll get some exposure to diversity related coursework.

Is there a place after this video where I can get the slide show so I would say just send an email to alana@loyola.edu and I have access to that email and I check it all the time so I will definitely send you the power point and then if you want anything else or have any other questions I'll definitely be able to follow up with you as well.

There's a lot to offer scholarships and or more resources, so a lot of doesn't have. We don't have like any scholarships or grants that come from our office directly. Like I said, We do maintain a database where we have scholarships that you can get both kind of internally and externally. That might be your best bet or more resources. So I will say one of the things with the ignition scholars program is that we do offer a $500 stipend to the participants once they complete all.

Parts of the program, so that's an opportunity to earn. That's type in and have that financial resource. But in terms of specific scholarships or grants or anything like that, we don't have that, or office doesn't offer that at the moment, so.

Yes, but these are really great questions. So please like I said there's no such thing as a dumb question, so you know if it's on your mind and you want to ask. This is your opportunity to have me here and to pick my brain and to just talk about whatever you want. Hopefully it's a lot of specific, but sure.

Doesn't wanna have partnerships with any diversity based organizations that are not affiliated with the college. That's are really great question.

I would say that yes, you know being involved more and I'm new to Baltimore so um fun facts on that. But there are so many great organizations and community resources that do a lot of terrific work related to diversity initiatives and so you know one of the things that we do in a lot of services that we send out a weekly email to our online and Listserv and a lot of what's in there comes from different departments and offices, not just on campus but in the greater boxer, more community. So for example.

There's an opportunity for students to serve as translators as part of the mirror meant immigration projects, which is based in downtown Baltimore. So that's a partnership that we have with that office, or with that organization. Rather, that's not. Will you list specific, but rather the greater Baltimore community.

A lot of the partnerships. We have are with you know different restaurants. Different museums because we take our students there and so they certainly start to get to know our office. Our students because we've established those partnerships and those relationships over the years. So yes, that is something that you wanted more information on or if you wanted to get involved in the Greater City of Baltimore. There are opportunities to do that as well, and what happened to get you connected and get you those resources definitely.

Super great question. I would say there are super great but now and in particular I enjoyed.

Let's see.

OK.

Alright, well this was wonderful. Thank you so much for tuning in. Like I said, if you have more questions, if you want more information the contact information slide is up there. Give us a call, email us like us on Instagram. Follow us and we're happy to connect. So thanks for spending part of your evening with Maine. Enjoy the rest of your evening.