The tumult of the semester as well as the pain felt by our community took their toll on all of us in different ways.
This was the weight that I brought with me to my internship at ICTG. I had a lot of questions that I started asking. How do we take care of ourselves? How does a college take care of their students in the midst of such pain and unknown? How can a specifically Christian college appropriately engage in the local community after such a trauma? How do we talk about what we have experienced?
This semester I am researching trauma-informed higher education practices, specifically at Westmont. I am interviewing faculty, staff, and students to learn more about different experiences and practices within the past year. I also am conducting research on best practices within trauma informed higher education. I hope to create a tip sheet for college students that provides a few strategies for Calming, Care, and Community in the midst of trauma. Please continue to check back in for updates on my semester.
Eva Pauley is a student at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, graduating in May 2019 with a degree in Economics & Business and Religious Studies. She is originally from Monterey, California. Eva is a fall intern with ICTG, and is excited about this opportunity to learn about and participate in the work that is being done at ICTG. |