Nick Schenkel ’15 was one of dozens of student leaders participating in the annual H.E.L.P. session.
Associate Dean of Students Marc Welch ’99 welcomes the participants.
President Gregory Hess thanked students for their work and reminded them of their invaluable role in helping to establish the moral compass of a liberal arts education.
Adam Raines ’17 listens to President Hess.
Clayton Lengerich ’15 speaks to the group.
Professor and FIJI advisor Dan Rogers talks with College physician John Roberts ’83.
Dean Welch introduces College nurse Carol Lamb.
Dr. Roberts talks about Substance Abuse—Signs and Response.
College physician Scott Douglas ’84 explains the signs of alcohol poisoning.
Dr. Douglas
Students relax during a break between sessions.
Crawfordsville Fire Department Chief Inspector Brian Bechtel talks with Wabash Director of Safety and Security Rich Woods.
Rich Woods leads a session on leadership.
Rich Woods
Director of Student Engagement and Success Heather Thrush spoke to student leaders about Title IX and its implications on campus.
Heather Thrush reads the College policy on Title IX.
Wabash counselors Jamie Douglas and Kevin Swaim ’83 lead a session on mental health issues.
Counselor Jamie Douglas
Brett Wyatt ’18 listens to the presentation.
Counselor Kevin Swaim
Associate Dean Welch thanks the students for their participation in the day's sessions.
With spring semester just around the corner, new members of student leadership packed Detchon Internatioanal Hall Thursday for the annual H.E.L.P. session.
Wabash H.E.L.P.—Housing and Education Leaders Partnership—is a biannual campus gathering that provides living unit student leaders with the tools and information necessary to prepare them for their new roles and responsibilities on campus.
“Your work is incredibly important to what we do here at Wabash, and it is integral to everything that makes Wabash great and distinctive,” said President Gregory D. Hess. “All of what we do here is embodied by the Gentleman’s Rule. It’s unique because that very much speaks to whole formation of students. It helps create an environment of developing leadership when you work closely with everyone around you.”
Associate Dean of Students Marc Welch followed President Hess's remarks with an outline of the program’s purpose and strategy.
“The work doesn’t stop here,” said Welch. “This is work that you can take back to your living units and continue the educational process. This is a starting point. Let’s find ways to help others.”
The full group assembled for two 45-minute presentations. The first, Substance Abuse: Signs and Response, was led by Wabash alums Dr. John Roberts ’83 and Dr. Scott Douglas ‘84, and Carol Lamb, R.N. The second, Safety, Security, and Fire Prevention, featured input from Crawfordsville City Police Lt. Hal Utterback and Chief Fire Inspector Brian Bechtel, and Wabash Director of Safety and Security Rich Woods.
Breakout sessions followed, with attendees participating in three discussions designed to enhance leadership skill development: Leadership and Confrontation, Understanding Mental Health Issues, and Understanding Title IX with Woods, Kevin Swaim and Jamie Douglas, and Heather Thrush leading the discussions.
The afternoon continued with sessions on fraternity rush, philanthropy, scholarships, risk management, alumni relations, house management and officer training. Wabash staff members Matt Bowers, Alex Moseman, Mary Towell, Kim Johnson, Cathy VanArsdall, Dr. Zachery Koppelmann, Tom Runge, Mike Warren, David Morgan, Matthew McGaughey, and Charley McCormick, made those presentations.
The H.E.L.P. session ended with meetings for individual fraternities and resident assistants.
“A program like this is important because I wanted to help improve my house and the Wabash community,” said Carson Powell ’17, a native of Fort Wayne, Ind., and a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. “This sheds light on a lot of different issues that we handle on a daily basis – things like mental health, substance abuse, and personal safety – in taking care of 70 guys in our fraternity and others on campus.”