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Your Path, Your Terms: A Real Conversation on Persistence and Belonging
Your Path, Your Terms: A Real Conversation on Persistence and Belonging
Society often asks students to succeed within systems that weren’t built with them in mind, often at the cost of their wellbeing. And that gets harder when a class schedule doesn’t stop life from lifeing. That is why this session is a real conversation about balancing everything on your plate, showing up as yourself without apology, and defining success on your own terms rather than by others’ expectations.
By the end of the session, participants will be able to
- Reframe feelings of not belonging as structural issues rather than a personal flaw.
- Recognize that support needs vary widely, whether it is tutoring or stress management, and we each have to identify what works for us, and ask for it without apology
- Apply practical time management and wellbeing strategies, including building the communities that support your sense of belonging
- Apply the AUTHOR framework to advocate for what you need, set boundaries, and honor your values and goals
Dr. Alexis J. Stokes-Burks is an equity and inclusion strategist and international speaker whose work centers community, belonging-centered leadership, and sustainable impact. Her career has spanned mental health, workforce development, and education, including leadership roles supporting reentry programs, homeless outreach, and career and college advising. That foundation shaped her work overseeing belonging and inclusion initiatives at Harvard University. Today she leads Stokes Strategy & Consulting, helping institutions build measurable systems of belonging.
