The 番茄社区 of Nebraska System has released the of its "Shaping the Future" video series, featuring Sarah Frankel-Russell, director of student advocacy and support at the 番茄社区 of Nebraska–Lincoln. The series, hosted by President Jeff Gold, features conversations with researchers, students, educators and partners across the state who are changing lives and making an impact.
In the video, Frankel-Russell shares insights into the Office of Student Advocacy and Support at UNL, diving into the challenges students face and how her team works to support their needs and help them succeed in their academic careers.
Frankel-Russell has spent her career advocating for young people in Nebraska. A two-time alumnus, Frankel-Russell completed both her undergraduate and graduate degrees at UNL. Before returning to complete her master's degree, she worked for the Nebraska Supreme Court, focusing on youth in the foster care system. Recognizing that higher education could create a better future for her for Nebraska’s young people, she returned to the university and has served in multiple roles—as an undergraduate recruiter for UNL’s College of Arts and Sciences, senior program coordinator for the William H. Thompson Scholar Society, and now, director of the Office of Advocacy and Support.
“I consistently heard from the young adults I was working with that they wanted to go to college. It was an opportunity for them to change the path they were on,” Frankel-Russell said. “I wanted to explore processes and policies that felt like barriers for students—and create opportunities for students to have a chance at success on a college campus.”
Frankel-Russell and her team believe that students can succeed in college despite the challenges they may face. Students who visit their office have often experienced hardship, causing difficulties in continuing their academic careers. Case managers meet with students to develop a strategic plan, assess goals and connect them with campus resources to help them be successful.
“That may mean having an honest conversation about slowing down, taking one course at a time, or pausing their studies and focusing on their well-being so that they can come back and be successful in the future,” Frankel-Russell said. “We want them to know that connecting with our office is always an option when they return to campus.”
In addition to academic support, the Office of Student Advocacy and Support also helps connect students with resources to support their basic needs; ensuring students have a place to sleep, a winter coat, food and medical necessities so they can focus on their coursework.
When it comes to addressing student mental health needs, Frankel-Russell believes that prevention and early intervention are key. That starts with ensuring students know that resources exist and are empowered to utilize them.
“Our role is to advocate for the student who can't advocate for themselves, but also to help students learn the skill of self-advocacy—because that's a skill that they'll take with them when they leave the university,” she said.
Dr. Gold underscored the importance of the Office of Student Advocacy and Support and the impact of its work:
“We need to not only provide a quality educational experience, but a quality life experience for our students,” he said. “Given the demands and the complexity of college life and in the world we live in, it’s reassuring to know that there are people like yourselves setting up support systems.”
New episodes of “Shaping the Future” are released monthly and feature faculty, staff, students and partners from across the university’s four campuses and the state of Nebraska. Topics include athletics, counterterrorism, student success, healthcare, K-12 education and many others.