Aubri McKoy
Contributing Writer
The College of Wooster’s Black Women’s Organization (BWO) has recently established a new mentoring program. Discussion for this program began during the spring 2018 semester. The proposed mission sought a number of things, one of which was to help bridge the gap between The College of Wooster community and the City of Wooster at large.
Co-President of the BWO Chrissy Howard-Smith ’20 said, “BWO wanted to create something to reach local young black girls and help shape them into people who take pride in who they are. Since Wooster is a predominately white town, we wanted young black girls to find solace in knowing that looking different and living differently from the majority doesn’t equate to being less. The hope of this mentorship is [that we will] create ties with these young girls so that they have people they are comfortable reaching out to when times are tough.”
Alana Smith ’20, co-president of the BWO, added, “As an education minor, I work closely with these children on a daily basis through my field experience. I see them constantly ignored and forgotten about in these environments, and I personally knew how that felt attending a predominantly white institution myself. However, these kids are young, and often times they don’t know how to communicate their needs effectively at home or in school.”
Together, the two leaders, along with other board members and participants of the organization, set out to brainstorm how to bring these ideas to life.
Getting the program on its feet has been possible with the help of some key individuals. Nate Addington, director of civic and social responsibility for the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), has helped the BWO bring this vision to fruition by fostering connections between the campus organization and a local mentoring organization called OHuddle.
Addington acknowledged his role, stating, “Part of my job here at the College is to stay networked in the community so that I am aware of the current needs that our community partners have. I was able to initiate the conversation between BWO and OHuddle and then served as the ‘middleman,’ helping to broker the expectations of both sides so that the partnership could start with a solid foundation.”
This connection has allowed for the two organizations to begin working closely in order to fulfill a common mission: mentoring underrepresented and underprivileged youth in the Wooster community.
Kim Green, program coordinator for the CDI, has also been instrumental throughout the process, acting as a beacon of wisdom and guidance as the advisor for the BWO.
As a first step in building the program, prospective mentors are currently undergoing the proper safety procedures. The hope is for the program to be up and running by mid-November.
Howard-Smith remarked, “We hope that this mentorship continues far beyond our time here at the College, because BWO aims to uplift black women and to give back to the community when they can.”
Additionally, Addington voiced his hopes, saying, “My hope is that this is the first of many formal community partnership agreements that we see started on our campus between student organizations, athletic teams and even entire academic departments and a specific community partner. I see this as the start of a long-term plan that will change the narrative of how the campus sees itself as part of the larger Wooster community.”
To learn more about the BWO and their mentorship program, contact Chrissy Howard-Smith or Alana Smith at CHoward-Smith20@wooster.edu or ASmith20@wooster.edu respectively.
(Photo from Facebook)