Governors State University is a midsized, public institution located on the fringe of a large metropolitan city and rural communities. As a Minority Serving Institution its students comprise the new majority in higher education with students from racially underserved populations; low income families; and adult learners. GSU is navigating an organizational and cultural shift as the university transitioned from a completion college to a comprehensive university serving freshmen and sophomores in Fall 2014. This transition, in addition to unstable finances from state governments and low retention and graduation rates of underclassmen, resulted in disconnection especially for first generation, low-income coming students from traumatic backgrounds.
In continuing last years theme, "Creating a Culture of Connection" in this poster we describe our attempt to engage students, faculty, student affairs staff, and peer mentors through workshops focused on trauma-informed compassion practices to create social change.
