Developing quality connections in college can be an important driver of student success. Students’ relationships with faculty and staff have an impact. However, students often face challenges faculty and staff have not personally experienced. Additionally, faculty and staff face nuanced challenges when connecting with students. This disconnect can deepen barriers to fostering meaningful connections. The Compassion Project aimed to reduce these barriers. The objective of this presentation is to share the framework and results of the Compassion Project so that others might consider similar programing.

The program was held in the [College of Agriculture] at [State University] during spring semester 2024. Students from various departments co-led workshops with the Student Services team. During the workshops, participants engaged in a privilege walk facilitated by anonymous surveys representing experiences of students, faculty, and staff. Topics covered life events, mental health, financial matters, college life, and other challenges. Participants lined up shoulder-to-shoulder and moved according to their assigned survey responses. If the response represented a challenge, participants stepped back; if it represented an advantage, they stepped forward. Throughout the walk, personal experiences and quotes from the surveys were shared. After the walk, participants reflected on the activity in a group discussion.

Participants of this workshop came away with a deeper understanding of the complex challenges faced by students, faculty, and staff. The goal of the program was to facilitate sharing diverse perspectives in a safe environment to build empathy and cultivate a culture of compassion. This program has facilitated the growth of a greater culture of compassion amongst the students, staff and faculty that participated. We encourage educators to consider student, faculty, and staff partnerships, such as this one, to deliver workshops which have both direct and indirect positive impacts on their college communities.