New U of A Cares Coordinator Helps Students in Distress

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Sarah Kaminski

Alumna Sarah Kaminski has joined the Division of Student Affairs as the coordinator for U of A Cares in the Dean of Students Office. She plays an important role assisting students in distress get the help they need to be successful in their time on campus.

"Sarah is a welcome addition to the U of A Cares Team," said Melissa Harwood-Rom, dean of students. "She has shown herself to be a quick-starter as she is familiar with our campus and community."

Kaminski graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology in 2012. She realized in her last semester that was not the career for her. She had been a resident assistant in University Housing and worked as an orientation leader for New Student and Family Programs during her time on campus, and developed great relationships within these Student Affairs areas.

"I knew I wanted to do something in a helpful field where I could have a positive impact on people's lives," Kaminski said. "And I grew up in Student Affairs as an undergrad student on this campus."

In her work with Students Affairs, Kaminski said she saw that students needed help navigating many things and that is still true today.

"Students are coming to campus with more in their 'backpack' than ever before," Kaminski said. "There are more first-generation students attending college, students with diverse identities and life experiences, and more students with mental health diagnoses prior to college and during college."

Kaminski went on to earn a Masters Degree in Adult and Higher Education from the University of Oklahoma at Norman in 2014 and a graduate certificate in Women's Studies and Gender Studies from Loyola University in Chicago in 2016.

"Sarah's previous experiences truly prime her for the important work with our students," said Monica Holland, associate dean of students. "She understands the unique challenges that our students may face and can assist them through and beyond these challenges."

In the Office of the Dean of Students the coordinator for U of A Cares plays an important piece in students' success, working with students that present with a variety of concerns including medical, financial, mental health, personal emergencies, and more.

"I am able to meet with students and connect them to the information they need at a critical moment of distress instead of a student trying to connect on their own to various resources they may not even know about," Kaminski said. "The most important aspect of my approach is building a rapport with students experiencing crisis.  In order for me to connect a student with the correct resource and support, they need to know I care about them and their success."

Kaminski is happy to be back at her alma mater helping students.

"In the back of my mind I always thought I would come back here and help students. I just didn't know it would be this soon, but I am very excited to translate my experiences in residence life to working with students experiencing distress here at the U of A," Kaminski said. "As a fellow Razorback and alumna of the University, I want to do this very important work so every student who steps on our campus has the support they need to successfully graduate and have a positive University of Arkansas experience."

The U of A Cares program was created in 2014 as part of a national effort among professionals in student affairs to develop case management programs in universities across the country, and to help develop ways for college campuses across the nation to work with the challenges presented by students in need of services.

Visit uofacares.uark.edu to learn more or to report a concern.