For freshman students of color at UW-Green Bay, peers who’ve been there are helping them succeed in college

GREEN BAY – Freshman students of color at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay were less likely to graduate than their white peers in the past, but a new program is building more support for them by connecting them with others who have been in their shoes.

BIPOC R.I.S.E. — Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Reaching Intersectional Strengths through Engagement — got started after the university looked at what specific needs students of color have on the predominantly white campus.

UW-Green Bay’s freshman class has grown more diverse, prompting Christine Smith, an associate professor of psychology, human development, and women’s and gender studies, and former UWGB student Hanette Kamanda to find ways to make sure the students of color stayed at the university. See more in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Oct. 29.