Building community and empowering voices

LAS First-Year Experience (FYE) equips first-year and transfer students with the knowledge and resources for academic success and personal well-being, building community through LAS Liftoff, first-year courses, and opportunities to connect with peers.

Through FYE, Darrell Hunter II and Raymona Wicks created two multicultural engagement programs, “We Got Each Other” and “My Auntie’s House,” to help assist students with the transition to college. We Got Each Other is a bi-weekly hangout for men of color. It allows students to connect with peers, get tips on navigating the University of Illinois and the College of LAS, and receive mentoring from faculty and staff of color. My Auntie’s House is a bi-weekly hangout that empowers female students of color and builds a community centered on belonging and inclusivity.

Darrell Hunter discusses his vision for these programs:

"The inspiration for these programs came when I arrived at the university and saw that Black and Latino men needed a space to share their experiences and navigate campus life, ultimately improving retention rates. In college, I wished for such initiatives, so I promised to create these spaces for all students in higher education, not just the underrepresented population.

Female students at Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center (BNAACC), where the group was held, expressed interest in a similar program during the first semester of We Got Each Other. This led me to collaborate with Raymona Wicks, assistant director of engagement in AAP, to facilitate what became My Auntie’s House.

Both programs have flourished, creating opportunities for students to connect with faculty and staff through panels. We also engaged in community service with DREAAM, mentoring young Black students, and hosted Ernest Crim III, recipient of the LAS Outstanding Young Alumni Award.”

Students share their experiences with these programs:

"I like We Got Each Other because it allows me to bond with other Black men and discuss our struggles on campus. As a first-year transfer student, this program has significantly helped my transition by providing a space to voice concerns and access resources. It helps others find their safe space on campus."

- Nino Stezen, political science, rising junior

"I enjoy being part of My Auntie’s House because it gives Black women a space to be vulnerable and feel a sense of belonging. The program has made me more open-minded and confident in my identity, empowering introverts to embrace their uniqueness.”

- Ariana Williams, human development and family studies, rising junior