Write Around Portland
Fostering First Year Belonging
A Center for Community and Global Health Colloquium
In Fall 2023, the Center for Community and Global Health in collaboration with community partner Write Around Portland offered writing workshops to First Year students at Lewis & Clark.
“My own voice is good enough. I don’t have to compare myself to others or how they express themselves.” –First Year LC student and Write Around Portland workshop participant, Fall 2021
This was a unique opportunity for new students in the LC community to experience the ways in which writing can help to heal. The two-hour workshop was a fun and nourishing way to fulfill a Words or Numbers colloquium requirement. All materials were be provided (journals, pens, etc). The optional colloquium is open to all First Year students
The writing workshop objectives were to:
- Foster a sense of belonging in First Year students
- Share Write Around Portland’s values of respect, writing, and community
- Support Write Around Portland in expanding their institutional impact
Fall 2023 Colloquium Details
The Write Around Portland Fostering First Year Belonging Workshops have concluded for Fall ’23.
Read below for program summaries and student feedback from past years and we will share findings from this year’s workshops on this page in the coming months.
Program Development
This colloquium developed out of a Fall 2021 pilot in Dr. Tamily Weissman-Unni’s Numbers are Human course. 48 First Year students participated, and 35 completed post-workshop evaluations, an additional 6 participated in a focus group.
In Year 2, 35 First Year students enrolled in Words courses participated, 19 completed post-workshop evaluations, and an additional 8 students attended a focus group about their workshop experience and learnings. Here is what students had to say:
Community and Global Health is located in room 307 and 309 of J.R. Howard Hall on the Undergraduate Campus.
email communityglobalHEAL@lclark.edu
voice 503-768-7636
Jerusha Detweiler-Bedell
Director
jerusha@lclark.edu
Carolyn L. Zook
Associate Director and Pre-Health Advisor
carolynzook@lclark.edu
Alexis Rehrmann
Community Engagement Coordinator
alexisr@lclark.edu
Community and Global Health
Lewis & Clark
615 S. Palatine Hill Road
Portland OR 97219