Tag: Jimmy Fund Walk

Executive Director Letter, October 2024

Brooks photo

This fall, IRT is grateful for our community. Over the summer, our IRT scholars connected with our faculty, alums, and consortium partners during the Summer Workshop. Faculty courses focused on theory, understanding the university and higher education. Our scholars had the opportunity to network with our Deans and learn about our partnerships through our virtual Recruiters Weekend. We hope to continue to expand and grow our programming to make it accessible for as many scholars as possible.

Continue reading “Executive Director Letter, October 2024”

A Personal Reflection on Walking

LaShawnda Brooks, Executive Director, IRT

When we advise our students, we often tell them to take things one step at a time. I am taking my advice by participating in this year’s Jimmy Fund Walk. When I worked at America Needs You, Robert Reffkin’s commitment to running marathons for our students inspired me. “He has lost his mind,” I would whisper as I focused on program reports.

Well, maybe I have lost my mind. After watching a cousin pass away from an aggressive cancer within five months, I began to walk to process his loss, my work, and what life is for. As an educator, the desire to put others first while knowing that our health and outcomes often come second can have dire consequences. We must take the time to care for ourselves while we care for our community.

Next year, please consider joining me on this walk! I would love to develop a #TeamIRT, as we have alumni and broader community members affected by cancer. Walking together can be a way for us to be there for each other and resist the burdens and stress we experience daily. Feel free to reach out and let us know if you are engaging in any community support!