Speaker
Emma Porterwinkel
Advising Manager, Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program
Emma serves as an advising manager for the Mercile J Lee Scholars Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Emma attended Bryn Mawr College outside of Philadelphia as the first in her family to attend and graduate from college. As a lifelong learner, she continued her studies at Eastern University to earn her Masters in Multicultural Education. Emma’s career path has been curated by her exploration of what it takes to make high-quality education accessible for all.
Speaking in
Student Voices in the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program
The Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program (MJLSP) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is a merit-based program focused on improving retention and graduation rates of underrepresented students since 1984. Founded by Mercile J. Lee, the program recruits and supports academically talented students from underrepresented backgrounds through funding, advising, and the philosophy of “Excellence in Scholarship, Leadership, and Service”.
Our session will highlight program components that elevate student voice within our program and across UW-Madison’s campus. Through high-touch advising, MJLSP Advisors understand the unique needs and aspirations of our scholars. Student leaders share experiences and lessons in fostering inclusion and belonging amongst their peers. The audience will hear from Scholars who participate in our peer mentorship program, sharing about intentional practices to honor student identity in the pairing process. The session will conclude with data demonstrating our student outcomes, celebrating a graduation rate of 96% and an average GPA of 3.5.
Session Objectives
- Provide insights into high-touch advising practices and efforts to foster inclusion and belonging among underrepresented students
- Show impact of peer mentorship and student leadership programs
- Present qualitative and quantitative data demonstrating positive student outcomes
- Share insights and takeaways from the experiences of student leaders and peer mentors, empowering participants to elevate students’ voices in their own work