Information to Anchor Your Simmons Experience

Welcome to The Anchor. This bi-weekly communication will provide you with relevant information to anchor your Simmons experience.

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In This Edition

• REEF Spring Checklist
• Winter Intramural Sports Registration

• Fresh Truck Test Market Returns!
• Save the Date: Blood Donation

Health & Wellness

REEF Center Spring Check List

• FILL OUT YOUR FAFSA! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA is available. Visit https://studentaid.gov/ to apply. Questions about your financial aid package? Contact Student Financial Services by emailing [email protected]
• APPLY FOR ON CAMPUS HOUSING! Planning to live on campus? Set an alarm or reminder to fill out your housing app so you don't miss the deadline!
• EXPLORE OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING! Start your search by checking out the REEF Housing Access website. We are happy to walk you through it! Keep an eye out for off-campus housing-related programs/events this Spring!
• PLAN YOUR COMMUTE! Didn't purchase the MBTA Semester Pass? You may be eligible for the Youth Pass (discounted monthly pass up to age 25). Visit https://tinyurl.com/reeftransportation for more information.
• SUPPLY UP! Place an order with the Community Resource Room for free food and/or school supplies! Looking for more food resources? Email us at [email protected]!
• BORROW A HAPPYLIGHT! Borrow a HappyLight to get you through the winter lows.
• CHECK OUT THE CLOTHING RACK! Free clothing is available at the Community Clothing Rack in the REEF CENTER (across from the bookstore)! Email [email protected] if you are looking for a specific item or size and we will try to help you find what you need!

January is National Blood Donor Month

January marks the 52nd anniversary of National Blood Donor Month – a time to recognize the importance of giving blood and platelets while celebrating the lifesaving impact of those who roll up a sleeve to help patients in need.

This month is an opportunity to recognize the roughly three percent of the U.S. population donates blood each year. A blood transfusion occurs every two seconds in America and a single donation can save multiple lives.

Learn more from the American Red Cross.

LGBTQ+ Donors

American Red Cross Values

• Their top priority is the safety of our volunteer blood donors and the patients in need of lifesaving blood products. Our employees and volunteers are trained to be sensitive to the needs of all potential blood donors.
• The American Red Cross believes blood donation eligibility should not be determined by methods that are based upon sexual orientation. We are committed to working with partners toward achieving this goal.
• They understand that there is a difference between biological sex and gender. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance, “Revised Recommendations for Reducing the Risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission by Blood and Blood Products” states, “In the context of the donor history questionnaire, FDA recommends that male or female gender be taken to be self-identified and self-reported.

Blood Donor Eligibility

All blood donors are required to meet FDA eligibility criteria to donate blood, every time. These eligibility criteria apply to all U.S. blood collection organizations. Less than 10 percent of the eligible population actually donates each year. The gender-specific donation criteria and questions on the health history questionnaire are designed to ensure that the blood collection process is as safe as possible for the donors as well as for the recipients of blood.

Learn more about blood donation eligibility including health history screening and FAQs.

The Human Rights Campaign and Policy Development

The Human Rights Campaign believes that the updated policy, like its precursors, does not treat persons with like risks in a similar way. It also believes that donors are deferred based on their membership in a group — in this case, all men who have sex with men — rather than engagement in risky behavior, such as unprotected sex.

Save the Date: Blood Donors Needed!

The MGH Bloodmobile will be parked at 1 Palace Road next month for a Simmons Blood Drive. Giving blood is fast, convenient and safe. Your single blood donation will go to help 3 patients! Appointments are encouraged!

10 a.m — 3:30 p.m, Wednesday, February 8 | 1 Palace Road

Student Experience

Upcoming Events

Fresh Truck Test Market Returns!

Fresh Truck will be hosting two community test markets this month. The purpose of the test markets are to find a viable location for a regular weekly market open to all of the LMA community. These events are open to all COF and LMA community members including staff, faculty and students.

Fresh Truck accepts cash, credit, SNAP/EBT/HIP & Fresh Connect for payment. Please remember to bring a bag for your purchased items.

Below are the dates and times the Fresh Truck will be hosting their test markets:

• 2 — 4 p.m, Tuesday, January 17 (86 Avenue Louis Pasteur)
• 2 — 4 p.m, Tuesday, January 24 (86 Avenue Louis Pasteur)

COF Winter Intramural Sports Registration

Registration for Winter Intramural Sports through the CoF is now open! Basketball, Volleyball, and Pickleball leagues are available and registration is always free.

• 5 V 5 - B A S K E T B A L L
• 6 V 6 - V O L L E Y B A L L
• 2 V 2 - P I C K L E B A L L

For registration questions, email Mike Jeffers at [email protected] and Follow COF Sport and Recreation on Instagram

COF Spring Leadership Conferences

Save the dates for upcoming leadership conferences - registration will be live at the end of January.

BIPOC Student Leadership Conference: Empowering Change Agents for Everyday Leadership

Saturday, February 25th, 2023 | Simmons University

Student Leadership Conference: Fostering the Impact of Leadership=

Sunday, February 26th, 2023 | MCPHS University

Events This Week

Connections Carnival

Hosted by SGA

Wednesday, January 18 | 3 - 5 PM | LKP

January Coffee Shop: Transitioning Back to Campus

Hosted by the REEF

Thursday, January 19 | 12 - 1:30 PM | Fens Tabling 

The Rink at 401 Park Ice Skating!

Hosted by CLE/Orientation

Thursday, January 19 | 3 - 9 PM | Time Out Market Ice Rink

Movie Night! 

Hosted by CLE/Orientation

Friday, January 20 | 7:30 - 9:30 PM | Alumnae Hall

Weekly All-Encompassing Events Calendar

A new resource for you to know what's going on around campus and the COF! This weekly calendar is updated every week with new fun events as well as reoccurring meetings, drop-ins and resources. The goal is to make all events easily accessible and known to you so that you aren't stuck wondering where to look for events. 

If you have an event you do not see on the calendar and want to add it, please email [email protected] with your Organizations flyer directly. 

Academic Spotlight

Open House for the new Office of Accessibility Services's Office

The Office of Accessibility Services is holding an Open House for our new office on Tuesday, January, 24th and Wednesday, January 25th from 12 - 2 PM both days! Please come by to say hello, visit our new space, and enjoy refreshments!

Celebrating the Residence Campus: The Simmons Memory Project

In 2022-2023, History 380 will undertake The Simmons Memory Project. Our work will be to research, document, archive, and memorialize the built environment at Simmons. This is a significant and timely project in response to the dramatic changes taking place to our physical campus. We will focus on the residence campus, an important site for the Simmons community where generations have learned and lived. Guided by studies of history and social memory, the students in History 380 will engage in hands-on archival research and practice to preserve the memory of 54 Pilgrim Road.

Check out their work on Instagram and Facebook

Career and Leadership Corner

Volunteer with Opening Minds Through Art

Interested in the power of artmaking and intergenerational relationships? Thinking about a career working with older adults? See incredible artwork produced by older adults with assistance from volunteers and student interns, and learn how to get involved! Opening Minds through Art (OMA), an award-winning, evidence-based, intergenerational art-making program, is seeking volunteers for the Spring semester. 

Stop by our table in Common Grounds between 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm on Tuesday January 17 to learn how you can get involved. Also, on the 17th, be sure to check out the last day of the gallery showing on the 3rd floor of the School of Management Building to see incredible artwork produced by older adults with assistance from volunteers. 

Open Positions

Apply to be a Simmons Academic Mentor (SAM)!

The Simmons Academic Mentors or "SAMs" are a group of current undergraduate students who assist first-year students with academic acclimation. This paid position is hiring for the 23-24 academic year, beginning April 2023. 

View the job description and opportunities.  

Apply to be an Orientation Leader!

Orientation Leader applications are open from January 17 - February 17, 2023. The Eckert Center for Leadership and Engagement is seeking undergraduate students to be OLs to assist with Orientation 2023. To attend an information session and learn more about dates, click below. 

Making a Difference

The SOS (Supporting Our Students Fund) 

Th SOS fund is open! This fund first originated in March 2020 to alleviate some of the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the fund’s purpose has shifted to primarily provide urgent and temporary financial relief.

To assure the long-term sustainability of this limited fund, our guidelines have updated. Please review our updated guidelines as of January 13, 2023.

Clothing for Community Rack

The "Clothing for community Rack" in the REEF Support Center. "The Rack- Winter Edition" is an ongoing resource of gently used winter clothing donated from our community for our students.

Any student can stop by the REEF Support Center and grab a jacket, hat, or scarf from the Rack. Items available will differ at any given time. If you are looking for a specific item or size, you can email [email protected] and we will do our best to connect you to the item you need through our community partners! If you are interested in donating lighting worn winter clothing, please email [email protected] to coordinate a drop off.

Stay safe, and be well.

Simmons University

Division of Student Affairs

300 The Fenway

Boston, MA 02115