Training Sessions in Place to Help Serve Whittier Students

March 30, 2017

Kayla Kosaki, Elena Macias, and Jennifer Guerra stand in front of white boardThe Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) hosted an undocumented students ally training session where faculty and staff participated to learn how to better serve the needs of the campus community. Leading the training session was Elena Macias, Ph.D. Macias has served more than 25 years as an administrator and professor at California State University, Long Beach. Her work is focused on training campus faculty and staff in becoming better allies and supporters of undocumented students.

This is the first of many trainings that OEI is committing to provide for the campus community. “It is the foundation of a campus commitment to serve undocumented students,” said Jennifer Guerra, director of OEI.

The goals for the training sessions are to create a welcoming and supportive campus environment for undocumented students, thus assisting their integration into campus life; increasing faculty and staff knowledge and effectiveness about needs, concerns, and issues that the undocumented face; and educating faculty and staff about relevant immigration laws impacting student and related student issues and challenges.