Undocumented and Refugee Student Success Summit at GMU, Sat., April 29

April 21, 2023 / Our Nighthawks

Undocumented and Refugee Student Success Summit at GMU, Sat., April 29

The First-Gen+ Center at GMU is pleased to invite our NOVA partners to our inaugural Undocumented and Refugee Student Success Summit on Saturday, April 29, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Johnson Center Bistro on George Mason University’s main campus, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax. Please register by Monday, April 24 at go.gmu.edu/StudentSuccessSummit. This event is open to all faculty, staff, and students at Mason and community members.

Through this summit we will address issues concerning the current humanitarian and immigration context, and college access and attainment disparities for students who have undocumented and refugee statuses. Participants will engage in thought-provoking conversations based on positionality to expand our knowledge, be able to ask questions to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the community and connected policies, and   create tangible and measurable actions that promote safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for undocumented and refugee students towards – a true commitment to inclusive excellence.

Summit Learning Outcomes:
As a result of attending the undocumented and refugee student success summit participants will:

  • Increase their current knowledge and understanding of undocumented and refugee student experiences and the policies that impact citizenship in the US.
  • Gain greater self-awareness through assessing their current roles (positionality) and privileged identities (ex: holding citizenship in the US) in order to identify opportunities to support undocumented, refugee, and immigrant origin students.
  • Apply what is learned in sessions, including the creation of one short-term goal or action to contribute to the academic success and wellbeing of undocumented, refugee, and immigrant-origin students at the individual or organizational level.
  • Student participants will feel greater identity affirmation and an increased sense of belonging.

If you have questions, please email firstgen@gmu.edu.

Submitted by:
Rommel Aguilar Cardenas, NOVA Adjunct/Counseling Services, RAguilar@nvcc.edu