Supporting The Health of My Community-Cara Stedman, ’22
Oct 08, 2021My name is Cara Stedman and as a fourth year, this is my final Co-Op before graduation! Excited to gain experience in the mental health field, I decided to take a Co-Op position at Antioch College working full-time for the Counseling Services Department, where I previously worked during classes part-time. This department at Antioch is dedicated to providing and improving on resources for student mental health, which is often impacted by physical health as well. In this position, I work with my supervisor Kelsey Hofer and members of the community to determine long-term projects/goals focused on student needs, to improve overall mental health.
Antioch College’s mission in higher education is well known. However, my department’s mission is centered around supporting students to attain their individual and collective goals. . Currently, the counseling department page has not been updated since previous staff changes. Part of my responsibility in this is ensuring that the department information and resources are communicated effectively to current and future students. I have helped Kelsey reach out to the department(s) in charge of updating the website with the new information on services, and helped put together new resource pamphlets for incoming students. In addition, I submitted an article to The Record to introduce our new nurse and counselor.
I have also worked on other tasks to ensure students are receiving the correct information they need on their road to success. One of these ways is to update the bulletin boards in Pennell House to include new information on the counseling and nurse resources available on campus. I have also updated the boards to include information on sexual health. I have worked with Michelle, the nurse, to ensure that the information on these billboards is correct and gender-affirming. I have also started a topic for discussion on the whiteboard in the doctor’s waiting room of “what do students want to see?” that we can update as each student’s needs are met.
One of the student needs I wanted to meet, personally, is the updating and cozying up of the Peaceful Place. When I received the goal of getting more students to use the peaceful place, I was really excited to use my thinking skills to design a room that would cater to student mental health needs. Deciding on different sensory calming elements I looked for plants, pillows, weighted blankets, scent diffusers, low/warm lights, and sensory toys. I have already filled out multiple purchase requests to spend the grant money secured to update our mental health spaces. Rearranging the furniture to reflect what I felt was a more comfortable position, I have already noticed students using the Peaceful Place as a hangout space. In addition, students feel comfortable approaching me while I have hours in the Peaceful Place to discuss matters that concern them about student mental health.
Working at this co-op has really brought me closer to students and the campus community. I think that my roles as a counseling coordinator have brought me closer to more faculty as a result. With my responsibilities here, I felt I am being given an opportunity to help student wellbeing in ways that many students never see. I have gotten to work one-on-one with many staff, faculty, and students that otherwise don’t interact with. My responsibilities in this job have only served to strengthen my commitment to improving mental health throughout not only my community here at Antioch, but as something that will carry into future scholarly and professional work.
More Opportunities Equals More To Learn: Cara Stedman ’22 and Integrative Learning
Mar 21, 2020For my Co-Op I have chosen to participate in multiple work experiences as a means of educating and supporting myself in a variety of ways. My primary job is at CB CB Bar and Grill where I work as one of the restaurant servers. My second job is continuing my work in the Antioch College Media Arts Department. My third job is the most related to my academic endeavors. I am working and volunteering with the college counselor to gain experience working as an advocate and assistant in the world of mental health.
My primary job is at a restaurant called Cold Beer And Cheeseburgers It is a fun atmosphere. I regularly work in shifts with the owner and manager. I have begun learning small things that make or break customer service. I have also learned a lot in terms of how to speak to your different audiences. This by extension gives me a better perspective when writing to a particular audience. I also work to advertise our specials and do the server prep work which includes portioning our sauces since they are all made from scratch in house. I have also been learning about all the work that goes into running a restaurant/grill like this one from the owner and manager. Most of the people I work with are very team-driven and focused since the servers and kitchen have to work in time with each other. I think I am enjoying this job the most due to the friendly work atmosphere and how rewarding I feel the work is.
My third job with Antioch College’s counselor has really been giving me a chance to use my organizational skills. I am currently helping her put together a program where we will have a movie, a special guest Skype call, and discussion. These programs each have different themes and are put together in collaboration with other colleges to continue educating and dialoguing with the community. I am really excited to continue the work!
In general, my co-op has already been extremely fulfilling both personally and academically. My goals are to continue personal educational research and learn from my diverse jobs’ skill sets. I would say this co-op for me would be best described as well-rounded. I am beginning to understand the importance of learning how to give good service and work ethic in multiple ways. This experience feels like the first step to my future professional career.
Growing with my Co-Op: Cara Stedman ’22 at Antioch College Media Service Department in Yellow Springs, Ohio
Jun 01, 2019Hello, my name is Cara Stedman and my co-op job is with Antioch College’s Media Services Department. This is different from the college’s media arts department. Instead of working with the equipment that the students and media classes use I work with the equipment for the events around the college. I help handle requests that professors, staff, or students submit for events they would like to hold around the college. This is including but is not limited to providing microphones, speakers, camera recordings, and projectors. This job also includes maintaining media services equipment in the college like checking classroom projectors are working and none of the other equipment needs servicing.
During co-op, I have been able to work many events around the college. I think my favorite task has been helping the college with their brand-new live stream equipment and events. Recently, the college invested in equipment and software that would allow us to live stream major events to YouTube. This gives the ability for the people who know of the college and events to watch without having to be there. My favorite live stream event was streaming the World House Choir’s performance at the Foundry Theater. During this event, I ran the computer side of things such as making the stream go live and queuing up any additional viewing material for before and after the performance.
One of these events also inspired me to hold my own event next year. An alumni of the college that is currently in graduate school came and gave a seminar and discussion on ableism. This is the discrimination of people with disabilities. I was there to provide mics and worked behind the camera to produce a video recording of the event. I now wish to hold a community discussion on the discrimination of people with mental illness.
These are only a couple of the inspiring events I have attended and provided equipment for. I also did many more. I helped live stream and provide a mic set up for an indigenous water protectors panel. I provided mics for a community meeting and SOPP/Title IX training. I set up mics and speakers for an event at Hernon Gallery.
The Media Services department is very important to the college and so is my job. It is the goal of Antioch to be inclusive and professional. We are an established college and want the ability to hold professional events and have working classrooms. This would not be possible without the specialization of this department to ensure the college has all the equipment is needs for these events.
My work outside of the events is slightly less exciting but just as important and educational. As I said, I conduct regular room checks on the classrooms, checking each cord and ensuring video and audio works on the projectors. Additionally, my boss David Adkins has put me to work updating the equipment inventory for Media Services. This includes sorting and cataloging all equipment like microphones, cables, speakers, mixers, and much more. This inventory will be important data for the college.
I have been enjoying this job because it isn’t too far out of my comfort zone. In high school, I did a lot of work in IT and engineer. This job is still within the realm of technology experience but is more focused on the kind of equipment I could be handling when it comes to my career. One day I want to work in the world of Media Arts, English, and Performance Arts. So, in turn, working with media arts equipment from a technological standpoint is both allowing me to branch out for experience with my degree and continue building on skills I already have.