This is what we do at South Mountain Community College. We – students, faculty, and staff – seize moments, respond creatively, and foster environments where everyone can learn and grow.
by Liz Warren
South Mountain Community College has always been known as the college with a heart. This orientation is enshrined in our college vision, “South Mountain Community College educates minds, transforms lives, touches hearts, and builds community,” and in our mission, “We create a caring teaching and learning environment that fosters student development.”
But how do we do that? How do we make sure that our philosophy is more than words on a webpage? The Good Story for this week shows that our vision and mission are alive in our institution. It’s about how one of our faculty members asked a question that transformed a learning environment and all the people in it.
I heard the story from Dana Frasca earlier this semester. She and Jennifer Avila had been working to support a student in one of Jennifer’s FYE103 classes. First Year Experience (FYE)103 is a 3-credit class, “The Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success.”
The class focuses on fostering student success in terms of academic, career, and life skills. It includes goal setting, interpersonal skills, financial literacy, and crucially for this story, the diverse perspectives, learning styles, and experiences of the people students will meet in college. Jennifer pointed out that the intent of the class made it easy to address the issue that emerges, since they were specifically addressing diversity as well as empathy and respect.
The student that Dana and Jennifer were assisting was a participant in the class that all the other students found very difficult. She interrupted and redirected the flow of the class again and again to focus on her specific needs.
A group of students finally had enough. They went to Jennifer and asked her if something could be done about the student, at least if she could just be quieter? They were very sure that Jennifer would understand their discomfort and annoyance and make life easier for them in the classroom!
Jennifer listened and then was quiet. The students sat in uncomfortable silence waiting for her response. Finally, she said, “What if this was your sister, or your mother, your friend – someone you cared about. Is this how you would want her to be treated?”
This was not the response they were expecting.
Jennifer went on, “Is there something you could do to help her? To make life easier for her?”
Jennifer’s questions completely shifted the context and awakened the students’ compassionate hearts. They commented that they hadn’t thought of it that way and seemed to reflect on it immediately. Of course, there were things they could do to help.
The very next class period they began interacting differently with the student who had been the source of their annoyance. Instead of distancing themselves from her, they moved toward her. They included her in group work, they asked what she needed, they found reserves of patience and caring they didn’t know they had.
Jennifer remembers, “One guy in the class took it upon himself to help her with her computer because it wasn't working correctly. He jumped right in and fixed it for her. After that, she would quickly and quietly ask him for help if needed, with her computer, throughout the rest of the semester. He never complained and actually seemed happy he was able to help someone. Other students would ask her how she was doing and talk with her instead of ignoring her or giving her dirty looks. It was amazing to see the difference in the whole class, not just with that student, but with all of them together!”
By the end of the semester, the class had been completely transformed. All the students passed the course, and maybe even more importantly, all grew in their capacity to be in community with others. Dana reflects that the incident demonstrated, “the impact faculty can have on the classroom environment and how students experience transformation not just through academics, but through learning how to navigate complex situations with dignity and grace.”
I’m not sharing this story to criticize the students who complained. It is just as much a story of their ability to pivot to a generous heart-centered space as it is of Jennifer’s compassion sparking questions. This is a capacity I’ve witnessed in our students many times. While the story is beautiful, it is not unique. This is what we do at South Mountain Community College. We – students, faculty, and staff – seize moments, respond creatively, and foster environments where everyone can learn and grow.