The role of the Black Student Support Coordinator was established in November 2021 to provide Black students with support, advocacy, and referrals to resources on campus and within the greater community.
What does the Black Student Support Coordinator do?
Kaitlyn Ellsworth is committed to supporting and advocating for the holistic success and overall well-being of Black, Caribbean and African students at the University of Windsor. Promoting a positive Black student UWindsor experience, the Black Student Support Coordinator provides a safer space (virtual for the present time) where students can be in community, meet, share, and access specialized support and services, emphasizing the importance of community and collective empowerment and success. As Coordinator, Kaitlyn Ellsworth supports Black students in academic and non-academic matters by providing confidential referrals to resources and options. She also assists students as they navigate difficult or crisis situations in the University environment, with the goal of fostering a safe and respectful space and improving students’ overall university experience.
Addressing Black student’s direct needs is the utmost priority of the Black Student Support Coordinator.
- Schedule in-person or online appointments with students and performs regular follow-ups
- Supports students in navigating through various university processes and systems, including but not limited to, faculties, departments, and university’s disciplinary process
- Provide general support, advocacy, and referrals for individual students to campus resources, or within Windsor-Essex community
- Liaise on behalf of Black students to various campus stakeholders
- Mentor individual Black students; providing direct encouragement, support, and active listening
- Assist in ensuring Black students obtain course content, assignments, and tutoring services
- Connect students with UWindsor and external funding opportunities for Black students (e.g., emergency financial supports, scholarships, bursaries)
- Connect students with additional UWindsor support services (e.g., counsellor, academic advisor, psychologist, etc.)
- Host on-campus events, and work with stakeholders to facilitate events that promote Afrocentric programming
- In cases where students have experienced racially motivated harassment or discrimination, advise them on the protocols and procedures of the reporting process
The Black Student Support Coordinator promises unbiased, confidential, ongoing support to students by listening actively to their concerns and situations with discretion, empathy and respect, and is committed to building understanding of the needs and concerns of Black students from a perspective that includes intersections of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic class, and other significant aspects of individual and cultural identity.
If you'd like to be in contact with the Black Student Support Coordinator please fill out this intake form https://uwindsor.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0pOuBUwV24or7MO
To set up an appointment to meet with the Black Student Support Coordinator, email Kaitlyn Ellsworth at blackstudentsupport@uwindsor.ca or use the form below: