Involved to Evolve: Student Voices on Campus Climate and Sense of Belonging

Jamal-Jared Alexander

Jamal-Jared Alexander is a third-year Presidential Doctoral Research Fellow in the Technical Communication and Rhetoric program at Utah State University. His research interest stems around using technical communication to help marginalized communities navigate disciplinary institutions in two different areas: (1) the rhetoric of health and medicine, where he aligns medical communication practices with these communities, and (2) the recruitment of marginalized students into higher education to diversify knowledge while developing retention strategies.

As the first Diversity Inclusion Officer for recruitment at USU, Jamal-Jared is conducting an autoethnographic case study of his efforts to recruit students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) for Technical Communication graduate programs at Predominantly White Institutions. Privileging the language of HBCU students over that of the recruiting institution, Jamal-Jared utilizes code-meshing to reflect students’ own experiences and embodies access to the academy. The goal of his research is to create modes of empowerment for marginalized voices in higher education.

Amand Hardiman

Amand is a second-year doctoral student in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Utah State University. Specifically, he conducts his research in the Families in Sport Lab under the direction of Travis E. Dorsch, Ph.D. Amand has a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His research interest examines: (a) the intersectionality of student-athlete identity (e.g., race, class, religion, and family); (b) organizational culture and leadership development in secondary and higher education; and (c) student-athlete development and career outcomes. Lastly, he is founder and Executive Director of Learn You Academy, which supports adolescent scholarly-athletes in skill, leadership and identity development, academic support and community engagement.

Jessica Chatman

Jessica Chatman is a graduate student in the Psychology School Counseling program here at Utah State University. She received her undergrad from Southern Utah University in Elementary Education. Jess has a passion for working with young kids and enjoys being in the classroom helping them achieve their goals. Outside of school, she is on the Women’s Basketball team here at USU which she enjoys.

Theresa Botchway

My pronouns are she/her, I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, UT. I’m second generation American, my mom is from the island of Tonga and my dad is from Ghana, in west Africa. I’m majoring in math education with stats composite.

Kirk Napoleon

Undergraduate student in Business Administration at Utah State University.