STUDENT WELLNESS
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE
THE FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE
Let’s be honest, freshman year can really, really suck–especially first semester. While many Miami students are lucky to find belonging early on in their Miami experience, that simply isn’t the reality for everyone, and the changes we all experience as we grow into the college versions of ourselves can challenge everyone. Miami’s first year experience is hard, and COVID has created even more obstacles for first years. As a transfer student, Aidan understands what it’s like to start college in an environment that is simply not right, and the courage it requires to make a change. Madelyn and Aidan both know that Miami has so much to offer, but for some it takes too long to find it.
Madelyn and Aidan will work with administrators to coordinate a plan to restructure the first 30 days of the first-year experience. They will start by building upon the ongoing initiatives occurring in colleges like FSB. They plan to use the Fall 2021 semester as a benchmark to evaluate the success of these pilot programs, and work with administration to scale them. This issue is a massive one to tackle, and it will take time to solve. Madelyn and Aidan are excited to prioritize the first year experience and develop solutions to accelerate belonging.
MENTAL HEALTH AND SORORITIES
It’s no secret that mental health has been stigmatized at Miami. While we have made meaningful progress in the past few years, it remains one of the biggest crises our students face today. While many organizations are starting to develop mental health policies, Miami’s sororities are ahead of the curve. As a sorority woman, Madelyn has experienced first-hand the positive results of Greek organizations prioritizing mental health.
In their administration, Madelyn and Aidan plan to partner with the Panhellenic Council and NPHC to scale mental health committees and initiatives campus wide. In the past, ASG’s relationship with Greek Life has been tumultuous. Madelyn and Aidan plan to use this initiative as a way to further mend this relationship and recognize sorority women at Miami for the effective and empathetic work they do in their organizations.
INCREASING SAFE, IN PERSON OPPORTUNITIES
While the COVID-19 infection rates are steadily declining in Ohio, and the distribution of vaccines is letting us see the light at the end of the tunnel, Miss Rona may be with us for longer than any of us want. That being said, Miami has returned to a great deal of in-person learning in safe and effective ways. As the weather gets warmer, we are beginning to see, even in the smallest ways, campus life starting to return to normal.
Madelyn and Aidan believe that if classes are able to meet in classrooms, student orgs should too. Miami students are responsible and respectful enough of each other to adhere to the same parameters that have made in person classes such a success, and we have no shortage of indoor and outdoor accommodations to make in-person org meetings possible. Madelyn and Aidan will work in collaboration with administrators as COVID guidelines are lifted to facilitate more safe, in person opportunities.