April 2, 2018 | By Martha Kirpes
The dedicated, highly trained upper-level undergraduate facilitators of ALA 171 "Making the Most of Michigan" received the Quiet Influence Award at the Michigan Difference Student Leadership Awards ceremony on March 27, 2018.
Madisen Powell, Matt DeMaio, Christina Thomas, Jessica Toma, Joe Sharp and Monica Davis have facilitated ALA 171 "Making the Most of Michigan" for two semesters, helping 182 first year students set goals, meet new people, connect with campus resources, increase understanding of social identities, build leadership skills across differences, and demonstrate their learning in MPortfolios. An ALA 171 student's comment attests to the facilitators' influence: "I had a great experience in ALA 171. I learned a lot about the University that I don't think I would have ever known had I not taken the class. I also talked about topics that normally I wouldn't have, which was a good experience. I think the class has fueled me to become more involved at the university."
The facilitators used their six facilitation skills beyond ALA 171, in student organizations such as the Black Undergraduate Medical Association (BUMA), Girl Up, and M-STEM (Science), and in numerous research projects and labs.