Welcome Sharks!
In the ocean, the coral reef offers generations of sea life shelter and food, to support a healthy ocean.
At Simmons, the REEF Support Center acts as a similar support hub for undergraduate, graduate, and online students. REEF refers to Resilience, Efficacy, and Empowerment through Foundational support services.
Our Vision
We inspire our students, faculty and staff, and alumnx to be partners in a collective effort to connect student’s to foundational resources, dismantle systemic barriers in accessing support, and develop organizing skills for community advocacy and agency.
Our Mission
We will centralize student resources by offering foundational support specific to food access, housing access and off-campus living, emergency funding, as well as our Violence Prevention, Education, and Outreach program. We operate from a framework of collective liberation that is grounded in the belief that our community thrives most when all members have access to holistic resources. By fostering a culture of care and support, we disrupt the historical and present violence of white supremacy and provide an opportunity for connection, community building, and healing.
Get Connected
Knowing where to start when navigating supports at Simmons and in the greater Boston community can be challenging. That’s why we exist! Connect with us by emailing [email protected] to set up a 1 on 1 meeting with a Support Specialist, and/or review community supports and resources local to Boston, MA! More information about the services we offer can be found by exploring the sub-tabs located on the left of our webpage.
Visit Us
Mondays-Fridays 8:30am-4:30pm
Welcome to the REEF Support Center. We are located in the MCB in the Commuter Student/ Dix Scholar Lounge (A-075 A and B). The REEF Support Center is a hub for any Simmons student to stop by. Meet peers, connect with a REEF team member, or enjoy some quiet time in this spacious study spot. Our cozy space allows students to relax, do homework, or chill out.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 617-521-3044
In the REEF Support Center, we offer students resources such as:
- Fridge
- Microwave
- Snacks
- Tea Kettle
- Tea/Hot Cocoa
- SAD Lamps
- Office Supplies (whole punch, stapler, pencil sharpener)
- Games and Puzzles for student use!
- Resources
The REEF Support Center also connects students to off-campus resources when needed. We recommend utilizing this Guide after visiting our exhausting the on campus resources listed on our website.
Meet The Team
Matoaka Kipp (She/They) is the inaugural Director of the REEF Support Center, a Simmons alum, and a big fan of bright-colored blazers. Matoaka brings a background in Macro Social Work (BSW from Simmons and MSW from the University of Michigan) and has a passion for community building through frameworks of community care and liberation. In her free time, Matoaka can be found in her garden plot, at the climbing gym, listening to Betty Who or Janelle Monae, and shopping at the Armenian grocery stores in Watertown, MA. Matoaka is honored to partner with students and staff to build up resources at Simmons, as well as facilitate connection and belonging. Check out their Top 10 playlist.
2024-2025 MSW Interns
Kate Osterholtz (She/Her) received her BA from Union College in Anthropology with minors in History and GSWS. She is very excited to be joining the REEF team and pursue her Master in Social Work with a certificate in Public Policy. She believes first and foremost in building meaningful relationships through a framework of compassion and anti-oppression.
She joins the REEF with a background in sexual and domestic violence counseling, and several years of policy work writing legislation around campus sexual violence. Kate is passionate about restorative justice, survivor empowerment and the power of community building!
In her free time she can be found reading books (or reading about books), practicing yoga, riding her bike with her partner or working on new recipes.
Gwen Hilliard (She/They) is a 2024 social work intern for the REEF Support Center. Gwen holds a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies and Drama from Vassar College, and is currently pursuing a MSW at Simmons University. Gwen has prior experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion work, and loves to educate others surrounding topics of racial justice, queer identity, and gender expression. Gwen believes that social work needs more queer-of-color, sex-positive, and poly-informed practitioners to better meet the needs of underserved individuals. Outside of work, Gwen performs improv comedy, thrift shops, and seeks novel experiences wherever one may find them.