RISE SCHOLARS

2022-2023
By Nedralani Logotala

PURPOSE
The RISE Scholars cohort is for FTIC, first-year students of color. RISE will help enhance overall
well-being, understand more about the identities we hold and how we engage in difference,
connect with different resources on campus and critical people to meet, and build relationships
with other first-year students who are going through similar transitions.

It’s a year-long commitment with bi-weekly mandatory meetings each quarter. Students will
receive up to a $200 stipend every quarter to support financial needs. Lastly, RISE students will be
able to meet the Equity and Inclusion (E&I) staff, both professional staff and student staff. E&I
strives to foster a sense of belonging and community for all students, emphasizing supporting
students who come from historically marginalized student populations.

RISE is open for incoming first-year students of color. RISE Scholars cohort will be a model for
future affinity-based learning cohort communities.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Self Elevate Navigation Connection Well-being

Reflect on Become familiar with Build supportive As a college student,

Foster skills and
social resources on campus relationships and establish methods to
habits essential
identities and that support your connect with peers, enhance well-being
for academic
engage in success and understand faculty and staff, and develop self-
success, areas of
dialogue what it means to be a UWT, and access efficacy for seeking
interest, and
related to part of the Husky resources in the wellness-based
exploration
difference community greater Tacoma area resources

FINAL PRESENTATION
RISE Scholars will present a final presentation of their experience in the cohort in the spring quarter. RISE Scholars
will use the PechaKucha storytelling platform to present their experiences and key takeaways in a simple and
concise way. Students will have 20 slides, 20 seconds of commentary per slide, totaling 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
Slides advance automatically after 20 seconds. Based on the content presented in our bi-weekly meetings, lived-
experiences and engagement in the campus community, Photos and images used in the presentation must reflect
and be consistent with the topics shared for each slide.
 FRAMEWORKS AND THEORIES
8 DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS
Upon meeting each learning outcome, the eight dimensions of wellness framework informed the topic areas to
support students holistically that will help create a clearer path to becoming a healthier and happier version of
themselves. Each dimension is interconnected. Students will be able to focus on the dimension areas that resonate
most with them to optimize overall wellness.

Emotional Intellectual Physical Social Occupational Financial Environmental Spiritual

TARA YOSSO: COMMUNITY CULTURAL WEALTH THEORY

Tara Yosso's Theory of Community Cultural Wealth speaks on amplifying the voices of communities of color and
building on the social-cultural capital individuals bring from their cultural backgrounds. RISE scholars will be able to
see what assets they have, cultural practices that have shaped their way of being, and how these assets can
interconnect with educational spaces. Yosso's theory also informs the decision to include non-Eurocentric
pedagogies and practices grounded in anti-racism and culturally relevant frameworks for communities of color.
Methods include bringing voices of BIPOC communities into the space and identifying each student's social-cultural
capital through identity development workshops and storytelling.

KIMBERLE CRENSHAW: INTERSECTIONALITY FRAMEWORK

Kimberle Crenshaw's intersectionality framework
explains how systemic oppression is often overlooked for
individuals subject to more than one type of oppression. On the other hand, Crenshaw's framework also shares how
our intersectional identities create unique experiences and thus should be celebrated and recognized. RISE Scholars
will begin to understand their different social identities and how the intersection of these identities results in
different experiences for them. RISE Scholars will begin to enhance their knowledge of their social identities and be
encouraged to show up as their best authentic selves encapsulating every social identity they hold.

BAXTER-MAGOLDA: SELF-AUTHORSHIP THEORY

Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth model and Crenshaw's framework of intersectionality provides a larger
framework to support the development of students to become social agents of change. RISE Scholars will be able to
identify and ground themselves in their own beliefs while simultaneously being open to change and accepting
ambiguity. RISE Scholars will learn to lean in on topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion with an understanding of
their positionality and the impacts of different social identities.

CAMPUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS

RISE Scholars will meet with a variety of different offices and staff and faculty throughout the academic year. Below
is a list of partners we have met with already and partners for the rest of the academic year.

Psychological and Wellness Services Career Development & Education Center for Equity and Inclusion
University Academic Advising Enrollment Services Faculty
Teaching and Learning Center First Generation Student Initiatives Community partners such as TAM

STUDENT STORIES
"For the Academic Advising presentation, I learned to not give into imposter syndrome. I’ve heard of imposter syndrome
before, but I didn’t know the exact definition. And when it was talked about, I found the connections with it from past
experiences when I thought I wasn’t able to do something due to my circumstance. It was of great help to hear that it is
normal to feel that way, but to also know that setting limitations on my personal growth can cause me to miss
opportunities." - RISE Scholar '22
"I also learned that my storyline has lots of negative memories behind it that I wish to unravel through therapy sessions
on campus and hopefully be able to talk about my story with more happiness rather than shame." - RISE Scholar '22