I got involved with Teachers' Treasures for the first time in August 2024. I started as a weekly shopping volunteer; I served as a point of contact for educators when they came in for their monthly supply shopping trips. As they shopped, I remained available for questions and support, assisted in locating supplies, and tracked supply distribution. I partnered with other weekly volunteers and staff to problem solve when we were short-staffed, requested supplies was unavailable, conflict arose between shoppers following distribution of high-need items.

I continued my involvement with Teachers' Treasures by working with the 2025-2026 Bepko Student Advisory Board and Bepko Program Intern to plan a group volunteer day for current Bepko Scholars. Each semester, the Bepko Student Advisory Board and Program Intern select an organization to plan a volunteer event with. In Fall 2025, we selected Teachers' Treasures. We worked with staff to stock shelves with supplies donations. I spent four hours unpacking and stocking curriculum books and sorting books by grade level. During that time, I had the opportunity to talk with staff members about the students and educators that they serve and the factors that play into the high levels of need we see in Marion County. 

Between conversations with staff and actual interactions with educators and other volunteers, I was reminded that people from all walks of life have needs and barriers to fulfilling those needs. However, people of color and other historically marginalized communities often face barriers more frequently or harshly than non-marginalized communities and struggle to find access to resources. It's vital to remember these experiences as I begin transitioning into my career as a clinical mental health counselor. My future clients will have numerous barriers to fulfilling their basic needs, and I ought to continue my work within communities as a volunteer to facilitate access and growth for communities around me.

Groups SSS's summer bridge program strives to equip students with the skills and tools necessary to be academically, financially, and socially successful in college. Having worked in academic success coaching and on-campus housing prior to taking on this role, I felt ready to support these students. What I wasn't as ready for, was how much they would teach me. 

I mentored students of a wide range of cultures, races, and backgrounds and considered their backgrounds and identities in the mentoring relationship. I recalled my Ethics and Diversity in Psychology course as I navigated this; my professor told us that it is our responsibility as psychologists and mental health (pre)professionals be educated on the diverse identities of clients, but it is not their obligation to educate us on their identities. I knew I could not and should not solely rely on the students to teach me how and when to adapt my mentoring practices. I spent a large chunk of time that summer taking in books, articles, and podcasts and in conversations with other mentors and supervisors to identify and shift parts of my mentoring practice. For example, I led a workshop on time management, during which I facilitated creation of weekly schedules for the students in the program. I have facilitated that workshop for freshmen before, but this group required me to ensure I was covering the responsibilities and commitments relevant to them. They were living on campus for classes and programming, but that didn't mean their family, personal, religious, social, and financial obligations disappeared. For many first-generation, low-income, and students of color, these categories often compete with academics more heavily than other student demographics. 

Further, I learned to navigate more complex issues surrounding identity. Handling conflicts between residents that involve bias became more complex than what I generally encounter in my role in on-campus housing during the academic year. I quickly recognized that grace, transparency, and cultural awareness are key in addressing bias issues where you have not experienced the opressive systems that the involved parties have experienced. Taking time to be transparent with the individuals and acknowledge my privilege as the one handling the escalation when the involved parties don't agree with my involvement is critical to empathizing and creating a path forward for those involved.