Information to Anchor Your Simmons Experience

Welcome to The Anchor, the bi-weekly communication for students from Student Affairs, providing relevant information to anchor your Simmons experience.

From the VP's Desk

Hey Sharks,

Earlier this semester, I sent you a message about several surveys you'd be receiving. Your feedback is very important to us as we continue to identify areas for growth and ways to enhance the student experience. I'll keep you updated in future editions of The Anchor as we collect information and make improvements based on your feedback. Below is a quick reminder about the surveys that are still out.

The first survey is the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), which is only for First Years and Seniors. NSSE helps us understand how you spend your time and what gains you are making as a result of your experience at Simmons University.

The second survey, the Multi-institutional Study of Leadership, focuses on how your experiences at Simmons University have influenced your commitment and capacity toward social responsibility as well other leadership-related areas.

The Gallup survey provides us with an overview of your Simmons experience for the spring semester and helps us understand what services were most helpful to you and your level of satisfaction with your Simmons experience.

Of course, the other feedback that is very important during this time in the semester is the feedback you provide through your course evaluations. Evaluations will be coming out very soon, so be sure to look out for them and provide your perspective on your classroom experience.

Health & Wellness

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement & Getting an Appointment

As President Wooten announced on April 26th, Simmons will require all students who are enrolled in classes on campus to be fully vaccinated before they return to campus in the fall. If you are looking to make an appointment in MA, review these tips for landing a vaccine appointment!

Residents of the Greater Boston Area are eligible for two free Blue Bikes passes to travel to and from their vaccine appointment. You can access this offer with codes "BLUEVAX1" and "BLUEVAX2" on the app.

Wellness Resource: Coping with Community Trauma

In light of the most recent traumas that have disproportionately impacted the BIPOC community, the National Alliance on Mental Illness has put together a list of resources that deal broadly with community trauma and provide information for the BIPOC community on coping with such experiences.

Student Experience

Upcoming Dates & Events

Conversation with Schuyler Bailar

Schuyler Bailar is the first transgender athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division 1 men’s team. Conversation will be followed by Q&A.

Monday, May 3, 7pm | Register

Collecting & Connecting: Artist Talk with Rocky Cotard

Join the Trustman Art Gallery for an artist talk by Rocky Cotard, followed by an open Q&A.

Friday, May 7, 5 - 6pm | Register

Collecting & Connecting: Artist Talk with Rixy Fernandez

Join the Trustman Art Gallery for an artist talk by Rixy Fernandez, followed by an open Q&A.

Friday, May 14, 5 - 6pm | Register

Simmons Strong Spotlight

Sara Mitchell (she/her/hers)

Class of 2022, Economics and Sociology

Sara is a member of the Class of 2022 and Vice President for the Student Government Association. She is an Economics and Sociology Major. Congratulations Sara and keep up the amazing work you are doing for Simmons and your community!

Chiara Beauvais (she/her/hers)

Class of 2021, Neurobiology (Chemistry Minor)

Chiara is a member of the Class of 2021 and is a Neurobiology Major with a Minor in Chemistry. Congratulations Chiara and keep up the amazing work you are doing for Simmons and your community!

Senior Celebrations

With only a few more weeks until Commencement, we want to share a video message to the Class of 2021 from Dean Corey Zohlman:

Share Your Own Video

Simmons is putting together a video to celebrate the Class of 2021! If you have a few minutes, you can record yourself sharing a favorite memory, thanking a best friend, talking about a club or organization on campus that really helped you grow, or bragging about an incredible accomplishment you're proud of achieving! You can share whatever comes to mind, and you can record multiple short messages.

Please contact Kate Smith with questions!

Academic Spotlight

Workday Student Tutorials from SAMs

As we continue the shift from AARC to Workday Student, we wanted to re-share the Workday Tutorial Videos the Simmons Academic Mentors (SAMs) have put together to walk you through the transition. You can also find the how-to videos on the Advising webpage.

Career and Leadership Corner

VPSA Communications Student Staff

Would you like to be a part of creating The Anchor and other regular communications from the VP for Student Affairs? We are looking for four students studying Communications, English, Graphic Design, Marketing, or other related fields to join the VPSA’s communications team! Additionally, one of these positions will serve as an Ambassador for the PLAN curriculum and work closely with Dr. Kelly Hager, so we encourage current PLAN students (particularly rising sophomores and juniors) to apply.

The application is available now via Workday on the Student Job Board! If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected].

Making a Difference

Helping MA Residents Book COVID Vaccine Appointments

As the COVID vaccine rollout continues, there is still a need for volunteers to help individuals navigate the online appointment booking systems. Since the early days of the vaccine launch, volunteers have formed groups of 'Vaccine Fairies,' tech-savvy people who book appointments for others who may have trouble accessing the system for any number of reasons.

In Massachusetts, MA COVID Vaccination Help is a nonprofit that has connected hundreds of residents with appointments. This organization also prioritizes marginalized groups' access to appointments in their area.

Stay safe, and be well.