ASCEND Allies

A group of college students sit around a table.

The ASCEND Allies program is the best place to know you are truly making a difference in the life of another person while also developing and growing your own skill set. 

An ally's role is to help encourage the social aspect of college life with our ASCEND students. We know that navigating college can be challenging to some and we want to provide support in this area. Allies will commit to 1-3 hours per week to encourage and support an ASCEND student.  Students interested to serve as an ally should contact Tanya Miller:

Responsibilities of ASCEND Allies

  1. Commit to an ally schedule and exchange contact information with ASCEND student.
  2. Participate in an Ally training program.
  3. Contact ASCEND student ahead of time, if unable to meet as scheduled due to unforeseen circumstances.
  4. Provide information and support when requested. If you are unable to provide an answer to the issue, then assist the ASCEND student to access resources to find the answer.
  5. Look for opportunities to build upon the strengths and interests of the ASCEND student through extra-curricular activities, campus events, organizations, and volunteer opportunities.
  6. Attend college events with ASCEND student to support them in the whole college experience.
  7. Honor the ASCEND student's request for less support - inform the program director of any change of the ally schedule.
  8. Provide prompting, encouragement, and support as needed in the least intrusive manner.
  9. Notify the program director as soon as any problems or concerns arise.
  10. Maintain respect for the ASCEND student's personal information and interactions that may be sensitive in nature.