As 糖心vlog鈥檚 dean of spiritual and religious life, Terra Winston-Sage 鈥�00 is a resource and connecting point for students navigating a rapidly changing world.

鈥淓verybody has a spirit,鈥� Winston-Sage said. 鈥淓verybody has something that sparks them and that they care about. I see a big part of the work as helping people connect with that. Sometimes that comes through religion, and sometimes it doesn鈥檛. Helping people get back to the thing that鈥檚 driving them鈥攖hat鈥檚 at the heart of the work we do.鈥�

After graduating from Lawrence, Winston-Sage attended seminary, then worked in the areas of social justice and human rights until she returned to work in Lawrence鈥檚 in 2018. She started as the associate dean before being named dean in 2023.

The Office of Spiritual and Religious Life seeks to provide a space for any student who needs someone to listen, a gateway for community, or even just a quiet place to take in a few moments alone.

鈥淚t really is a non-judgmental space,鈥� Winston-Sage said of the听Esch Hurvis Center for Spiritual and Religious Life. 鈥淵ou can come with your anger and your tears and your joy and know that you鈥檙e always going to be welcome here. It鈥檚 also just an incredibly comfy and warm place to be.鈥�

Winston-Sage, working alongside Shola Adegbite, assistant dean of spiritual and religious life, and others on her staff, provides leadership and counsel as she facilitates student conversations about spirituality, faith development, religion, and community building. She also provides pastoral care and assists with memorial gatherings.

An ordained Presbyterian minister, she earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree with a major in religious studies at Lawrence. She鈥檚 thrilled to be back at her alma mater, bringing support to a unique campus of ambitious and driven students.听

鈥淭here鈥檚 creativity and there鈥檚 freedom,鈥� she said of the Lawrence culture. 鈥淚t鈥檚 there because it鈥檚 in our students.鈥�

Since returning to Lawrence, Winston-Sage has found being a resource for students is incredibly rewarding.

鈥淚 like to help people find their passion,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome people come in knowing their passion, and some people find it along the way. When people bring that to me with such excitement, that is definitely a favorite part of the job.鈥澨�

But equally important to her is supporting students when times are tougher.听

鈥淚 do hear a lot of hard times that people are going through,鈥� Winston-Sage said. 鈥淲hen I know there鈥檚 a student who has struggled, and I see the smile on their face when they cross that graduation stage鈥攖hat鈥檚 the most meaningful part of my job.鈥�

She emphasized the role of her office as a supporter in any phase of student life, good or bad. Whether it鈥檚 getting a fantastic internship, needing support in a time of loss, or even readjusting after a study abroad opportunity, the Center for Spiritual and Religious Life is there for students to process and recenter.

鈥淭here are so many things that happen in life that are unexpected,鈥� Winston-Sage said. 鈥淪ometimes those things are great, and sometimes those things shake your foundation. This is a space to react to that, and some resources to ask, 鈥榃hat do you need at this moment? What do you need in a month?鈥� Then also to teach people those skills for when those things happen again.鈥澨�

Winston-Sage hopes to create more programming to assist students through each year of university life, from transitioning to campus in the first year to what comes next for seniors after graduation.听

There are programs in the Center for Spiritual and Religious Life that provide community settings for anyone at Lawrence, such as the community dinner presented every Thursday. Between those events, the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life is always open to students who want a quiet, comfortable place to be.听

After two strong years leading 糖心vlog鈥檚 academic advising reform efforts, Jacklyn John Fischer is now providing additional leadership in the Center for Academic Success.

Fischer, associate dean of academic success and director of academic advising, oversees the academic advising experience at Lawrence. Much of her work thus far has focused on reforming the academic advising experience at Lawrence 鈥� gathering data, researching best practices, and collaborating with campus stakeholders to enhance the academic advising experience. One of her key partners has been the university鈥檚 Academic Advising Committee. Together they have made improvements that include overhauling the new student advising experience, developing student learning outcomes for academic advising, and launching an expanded advisor training program for all new faculty advisors.

鈥淎cademic advising helps students make the most of their college experience,鈥� Fischer said. 鈥淲ith effective academic advising, students are given space to reflect upon their goals and interests with someone who can help them think through plans for realizing those goals.鈥�

Fischer is responsible for assigning students their 鈥減re-major鈥� advisors before they arrive on campus for their first year at Lawrence and helps ensure students are matched with a 鈥渕ajor鈥� advisor once they declare a major. She also works with campus partners and academic departments to develop and expand resources for undecided and exploratory students as they chart their academic path at Lawrence. One example is the 鈥淢eet Your Major鈥� series, in which students can learn about various majors and minors by meeting faculty and other students involved in different departments and programs in an informal setting.

Looking ahead, Fischer aims to develop new assessment tools to ensure the continuous improvement of academic advising at Lawrence.

鈥淚 am looking forward to implementing a formal assessment process for academic advising, where we鈥檒l use multiple measures of assessment to gauge whether we鈥檙e achieving our identified student learning outcomes for academic advising,鈥� she said.

In her recently expanded role as the associate dean of academic success, Fischer is now supervising the academic coaching team in the Center for Academic Success. Academic coaches meet with students to talk about mindset and motivation, values and goals, and how to overcome hurdles to academic success.听 This combined position allows her greater perspective on how faculty academic advisors and academic coaches can effectively collaborate to promote student academic success at Lawrence.

Fischer, who holds a Master of Education in Higher Education from Harvard University and a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said she鈥檚 always been passionate about equity and student success in higher education. She is excited that this expanded position will allow her to improve university systems and structures while still allowing her to meet with individual students.

鈥淢y favorite part of the job is identifying advising 鈥榩ain points鈥� and working collaboratively with colleagues to find solutions that improve the student experience,鈥� Fischer said. 鈥淚 love having the opportunity to bring people together to help our systems work more effectively in the ever-changing higher education landscape.鈥�

Juan Arguello, the second-year dean at 糖心vlog, supports sophomores and transfer students by connecting them with important resources throughout the year.

Arguello, originally from Oshkosh, attended a liberal arts university and is a big proponent of the liberal arts education. When the opportunity came to work at Lawrence, the Chicago attorney jumped at the chance for a career change, anticipating his skills would be useful in advocacy and communication.听

鈥淚 really wanted to work in a job where I could advocate for people and listen to them,鈥� Arguello said. 鈥淎s a first-gen student, I didn鈥檛 have a lot of additional guidance and had to spend a lot of time on my own getting answers. I wanted to help students and help them accomplish their goals.鈥澨�

At Lawrence, Arguello spends his days working with colleagues, collaborating with committees doing student-focused work, and addressing issues that students are facing. He also meets one-on-one with students by appointment and works on programming to help transfer and second-year students on their Lawrence journey. His days never look the same, with many aspects of the job overlapping at different hours.听

鈥淭he students are my clients, in that I want to make myself available to them and reassure them that I am there to help as best as I can,鈥� he said.听

Arguello believes that the sophomore year in college is a pivotal time in one鈥檚 education. Historically in higher education, he said, sophomores have not been provided with enough programming or guidance. They have been expected to find answers on their own. Arguello combats this with programming and meetings to answer questions and provide support to students, all with an eye on getting them to graduation.听听

鈥淭he second year is full of academic challenges, while also finding out what you are passionate about,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 can help them navigate that. I want to teach them self-advocacy because that is something that is not taught generally in schools before university.鈥澨�

In addition to his work with second-year students, Arguello is involved with transfer students, helping to guide their transition to a new school. This year, he was able to call each transfer student individually to introduce himself, share his role, and offer guidance into the new year. He also provided programming in the fall so transfer students could connect with each other and meet staff members with answers to their questions.听

鈥淲e try to create new opportunities for them to engage with each other and engage across the university,鈥� Arguello said. 鈥淭hat is something I am hoping to build upon.鈥澨�

Arguello works closely with the Office of Student Life as well as First-year Dean Kristi Koshuta on first-generation initiatives, offering extra support to those who are unfamiliar with the college experience. They also work to create stronger connections between first- and second-year students so they can offer support to each other.

听A retreat to 叠箩枚谤办濒耻苍诲别苍 during Winter Term provided the space and opportunity for students to make connections and get to know each other across class years. Arguello also helped plan an alternative spring break at 叠箩枚谤办濒耻苍诲别苍, designed to provide further opportunities for the classes to come together.听

Arguello came to Lawrence last year after five years of work as an attorney for a Chicago law firm. He also worked at a Chicago nonprofit organization, where he provided removal defense to detained immigrants before the Chicago Immigration Court and the Board of Immigration Appeals. Prior to law school, Arguello served in the United States Army and the Illinois National Guard as an infantry non-commissioned officer.听听He holds a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in philosophy from DePaul University.

Arguello is looking forward to continuing to better the experiences of sophomores at Lawrence, providing support and connecting them to the necessary resources for success. For him, working with second-year students is an ethical responsibility to serve each student and teach them skills for success, both at and beyond Lawrence.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 a process,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y role is to help them along with the process.鈥澨�

Meet Noemi Delgado, 糖心vlog’s new director of Accessibility Services and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator.

鈥淚鈥檒l be providing accommodations for students, whether it be housing, academics, or any meal exemptions related to a disability and/or medical condition,鈥� Delgado said.

Delgado鈥檚 role unifies many responsibilities that were previously split across the Center for Academic Success (CAS), making it easier for a student鈥檚 accommodation needs to be quickly and effectively addressed.

鈥淲e want the new process to be consistent and create an equitable opportunity for all students to have access to the accommodations they need,鈥� Delgado said.

Accessibility Services is now part of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office.听Students can find additional information on the Accessibility Services webpage, including a link to request accommodations.

Adding efficiencies

Delgado, who joined the Lawrence team earlier this year, walked us through the process. First, students submit a request for accommodations by uploading documentation and completing an eligibility form. Answers to these questions are private and confidential, viewed by Delgado so she can better understand the impact of the student鈥檚 situation. She reviews the form and does external research if necessary, and then schedules a one-on-one meeting with the student.

鈥淚 think that鈥檚 what is really good about this process,鈥� Delgado said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not just seeing this student on paper; I鈥檓 getting an opportunity to meet with them.鈥�

This process helps Delgado gain a better sense of each student鈥檚 needs, which allows her to make highly informed choices to best accommodate Lawrentians with disabilities.

鈥淎ccommodations are provided to give students with disabilities equal access to the residential and academic opportunities as their peers,鈥� Delgado said. 鈥淚f a request does not demonstrate a connection between their functional limitation due to their disability or diagnosis and their need for the accommodation, it might not be approved.鈥�

Accessibility Services works to accommodate students with visible and invisible disabilities. Delgado said she appreciates how growing awareness of disabilities and mental health has helped destigmatize them.

In addition to her role as director of Accessibility Services, Delgado said she鈥檚 excited to serve as Lawrence鈥檚 ADA coordinator.

鈥淐ampus is beautiful; we want to keep and create safe spaces where all students can go and have the same accessibility they have here [in the Center for Academic Success],鈥� Delgado said, pointing to the wider, wheelchair-accessible hallways and doors on the second floor of the Seeley G. Mudd Library. 鈥淲e want to make sure we鈥檙e working with everyone, whether it be Facility Services or building designers, so we鈥檙e meeting those regulations and being an accessible campus.鈥�

Feeling at home

Delgado is thrilled to be part of the Lawrence community and loves the college town vibe of Appleton.

鈥淚 went to school in Boulder, Colorado,鈥� Delgado said. 鈥淢y best friend from college lives here. When I would come visit, I was like, 鈥楾his feels like Boulder.鈥欌��

After working with a behavioral company in California, Delgado moved to Appleton. She worked with the local school district before coming to Lawrence. Delgado loves how her position combines her passions for accessibility and education, and she is excited to help make Lawrence a place for everyone.

Delgado urges students with any questions about accessibility and Accessibility Services to visit their webpage, newly updated by Joanna Morey, or email her directly at noemi.delgado@lawrence.edu.

Kristi Koshuta was an hour into the recent Gardner Workshop on elevating Lawrence鈥檚 first-year experience when she texted her husband to say she already knew this is the place she needs to be.

Koshuta had yet to start in the newly created position of first-year dean when she attended the mid-October workshop in the Warch Campus Center, led by first-year experience pioneers John N. Gardner and Betsy Barefoot and attended by a mix of Lawrence faculty and staff. What she heard in the conversations among her soon-to-be-colleagues was music to her ears.

Tom McKenzie 鈥�95 has returned to Door County to lead 叠箩枚谤办濒耻苍诲别苍 into a greener and more connected future.

The new director of 糖心vlog鈥檚 northern retreat spent the past 21 years in southern California, working most recently as the development manager for the collective impact initiative promoting access to arts education for all youth across Los Angeles County.

About this series: Building Brilliance With 鈥� is a periodic Q&A in which we shine a light on a 糖心vlog staff member whose work helps support Lawrence鈥檚 students and the university鈥檚 mission.听

—

Monita Mohammadian Gray 鈥�92 returned to Lawrence in 2016 as the school鈥檚 first dean of academic success.

Her position was created as Lawrence launched the听, an initiative aimed at increasing support for students at every step of their academic journey. She has overseen the substantial growth of the program over the past five years, including its recent move to the second floor of the Seeley G. Mudd Library, renovated via a $1.5 million investment that was part of the.

In addition to more cohesive office space for the center鈥檚 staff, students can now find a modern classroom, a testing room, a conference room, a general tutoring area, a remodeled Help Desk, and a computer lab, all easily accessible and smartly connected to other available services in the library.

We caught up with Gray to talk about the excitement surrounding the Center for Academic Success as her staff looks forward to again working in-person with Lawrence students.

What excites you most about the work you do with students?

Honestly, the best part of my work is to watch students we support transform into more confident individuals while they find their best academic selves.

How has the renovation and relocation of the Center for Academic Success changed the way it can and will be utilized by students?

The renovation and relocation of the Center for Academic Success took place at a time when all of our services were virtual. We have not had the opportunity to showcase the new space yet, but have plans to highlight our services for fall term. In our new space on the second floor of the Seeley G. Mudd Library, students have ample study and tutoring space, a centralized space for meetings with staff, a semi- private waiting area, an active learning classroom, and more reduced-distraction and isolated testing spaces for students with accommodations.

The decision to move our space into the library allows students to take care of more academic needs in one space. They can find resources, talk to a reference librarian, address technology questions with IT, use the MakerSpace, and stop in to our office to ask questions or find out how we can help them with any academic challenge.

Did the pandemic change the demands on you and your staff? And were there lessons learned that will be beneficial going forward?

Most students struggled with the shift to online learning, which led to greater demands on our staff to offer more support to students. Sometimes that work came at atypical work hours to help our students in time zones across the world. I am grateful for our staff鈥檚 commitment to our students鈥� success. Many students struggled with their own health, the health of their loved ones and friends, or other family obligations on top of their academic work. This combination creates a tricky balance to find academic success.

We are rewriting our policies, procedures, and website to be clearer and more transparent in their explanation of who we are, what we do, and how we can help students. We want there to be clarity about what resources are available to students, or what academic choices or options they may have.

As we prepare for our return to a fully in-person fall term, we have begun to evaluate how we deliver our services. We do our best to meet students where they are. We may be able to offer students virtual meeting options to suit an immediate need.听

What work or life experiences led you to this role at Lawrence?

I am a Lawrentian, through and through. I spent my undergraduate years studying psychology and served in various leadership roles on the tennis team and in my sorority. I served as an RLA (now community advisor or CA) my senior year and studied at the London Centre. I learned how to navigate different peoples鈥� expectations and find solutions to challenging problems.

Several years after I graduated, I returned to Lawrence, where I worked in the admissions office for over eight years. From the beginning of my career in higher education I believed it was important to consider student success in admission decisions. At another small, private institution, I worked in career development, orientation, transfer student services, retention and student success, and the Dean of Students office. I earned a Master鈥檚 degree in Educational Policy and Administration and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership and Policy Development from the University of Minnesota.

My commitment to Lawrence remained strong in the years I worked away from Appleton. I served as a board member of the 糖心vlog Alumni Association for five years, served as chair and as a committee member for multiple reunion planning teams, and have kept up with Lawrentians from my era and those I have met through my friends and work over the years. It is wonderful to connect with other Lawrence graduates, to hear stories about their time here, or welcome friends back when their children are looking at Lawrence. Most importantly, it is truly wonderful to have the opportunity to support our students鈥� success as Lawrentians every day.

What is one thing you do away from campus that helps you recharge your batteries or otherwise brings you joy?

Exercise and movement. I love riding my indoor cycle to a virtual workout. I tend to exercise in the morning when my excuse game is not as strong, and enjoy starting my day with an intense workout. After that, I feel like I can handle whatever comes my way. Alternatively, I love taking long walks while listening to a favorite podcast or new audiobook; it grounds me by giving me peace of mind. Fresh air paired with a soul-filling book鈥攏othing compares for me.

About this series: Building Brilliance With 鈥� is a periodic Q&A in which we shine a light on a 糖心vlog staff member whose work helps support Lawrence鈥檚 students and the university鈥檚 mission.听

Brittany Bell, Ed.D., is all about the student journey.

As assistant dean of students and director of the听at 糖心vlog, Bell is an important resource for students. In the D&IC, located in Memorial Hall, Bell and her staff provide a welcoming, inclusive, and creative gathering space for students of diverse backgrounds.

She came to Lawrence in early 2019 after six and half years on the staff at St. Norbert College, where she served as assistant director of multicultural student services and then student success librarian.

Since arriving at Lawrence, she has raised the profile of the D&IC, remodeled the space to make it a welcoming place where students can gather, study, and socialize, launched educational programming, and has become a valuable mentor for students and student organizations on campus.

Bell, the mother of three girls with her spouse, Chris, contributed a chapter to the recently published book,听Teaching Beautiful Brilliant Black Girls. It was published by SAGE Publications and came out earlier this year. Her chapter, co-written by Ramycia McGhee, is on colorism in the classroom.

She has a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, a master鈥檚 from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and a doctorate from Edgewood College.

Outside of work, Bell and her family operate the De Pere-based God鈥檚 Purpose Apparel, designing and selling clothing and accessories that feature motivational and faith-inspired sayings, with monies being donated to nonprofits serving the homeless community.

We caught up with Bell for a Q&A to talk about her work on campus and what inspires her.

What excites you the most about the work you do with Lawrence students?

It鈥檚 getting to know our students, learning more about their stories and aspirations. As I listen, I capture those first moments and then do what I can to support them along their journey. It鈥檚 exciting to do it all over again year after year.

As director of the Diversity and Intercultural Center and assistant dean of students, you play an important role in our students鈥� college journeys beyond the classroom. Why is that so critical to their Lawrence experience?

The best way to describe it is I am an ally, mentor, and I serve as a resource for students. Part of my role is leading the Diversity and Intercultural Center (D&IC). The D&IC听is a space where students can come together.听We promote programming that educates and encourages conversation, and celebrations that embrace culture and identity in oneself and others. The space and staff at the D&IC provide an听inclusive environment for students to thrive personally, socially, and academically. An opportunity we鈥檝e created is the Program for Leadership of Underrepresented Students (PLUS), a peer mentoring program that assists students during their first year.

What drew you to a career working in higher education?

My own experience. During my time in college I learned how significant it was to have college leaders and mentors who were supportive during my journey. One day听after completing my internship at a news station,听I remember sitting in my mentor鈥檚 office. It was the end of my junior year, and after the internship experience, I decided I no longer wanted to be a news reporter. I didn鈥檛 know what to do and felt like I had wasted time and money. My mentor sat with me and we talked, and it was that day that I learned that I had options, ones that included me doing what I loved鈥攍etting my light shine bright and helping students through their journey.听

What did the past year and a half鈥攖he pandemic, the social unrest鈥攖each you about the work you and your听staff听do?

The pandemic and social unrest has magnified the importance of all voices being heard. We learned how important it is to invite peers, colleagues, and friends to join us on this journey as we continue work toward creating change in our community.

What is one thing you do away from campus that helps you recharge your batteries or otherwise brings you joy?

One thing I do when I鈥檓 away from campus, besides being with my spouse and children, that brings me joy is when I鈥檓 designing. As an artist, I鈥檓 always amazed by the process from start to finish. I get to listen to the creativity from others and I take their ideas and form it into something wonderful. Since I was 5 years old, art has always been my go-to, and now when I see people wearing apparel or using business projects I鈥檝e designed, it brings me joy knowing I鈥檓 making an impact in multiple ways.