Juggling a full schedule

CHENEY — Like most of us, new Eastern Washington University student trustee Auriana Mitchell claims it’s difficult for her to be in two places at once.

A look at the Liberty High School graduate and Cheney-area native’s career so far makes one wonder, however, if she hasn’t somehow perfected that ability — if not physically, then at least mentally and intellectually.

The third-generation EWU student’s career at the university where her parents and one set of grandparents met while students almost ended before it really began. Enrolled in Running Start at age 16 in 2018, Mitchell’s thoughts of a career in data analytics faced a serious challenge when she learned her math skills weren’t what she thought they were.

Having taken math through Algebra II in high school, Mitchell said she believed she would at least test well enough to qualify for EWU Math 114 — if not Math 141, the highest in the freshman-level series. Instead, testing put her in Math 104 — third lowest of four classes.

“Being 16 and having that brick hit you, it was a pivotal moment,” Mitchell said.

Instead of changing course, Mitchell said she found the revelation to be humbling, and she refocused. She enrolled in Math 104 and sought out the myriad of resources EWU offers students to help them overcome educational hurdles.

Mitchell enrolled with a tutor three times a week through the Developmental Math Lab. She also enrolled in a PLUS — Program Leading to University Success — study group through JFK Library’s Learning Commons.

According to information on its website, PLUS offers free academic support to “EWU students through collaborative study groups, individualized tutoring, academic coaching, and online academic assistance.” Mitchell said she liked the benefit of being able to hone her math skills through others experiences, but there was a downside – the group met twice a week at 8 a.m.

“People who know me would be amazed to see me make anything at 8 a.m.,” Mitchell said. “My dad would come in and say ‘You’re in the kitchen at 7 a.m. What’s going on? And I’m like ‘that PLUS group.’”

The work paid off, with Mitchell eventually earning a minor in math and now enjoying senior-class standing as she closes in on a bachelor of science in data analytics. Mitchell, who also combined this with obtaining her high school diploma in 2020, said she used the groups even through more advanced math courses such as Calculus I.

Mitchell also gave back some her experience by working in the Developmental Math Lab in 2019. Both tutoring and being tutored taught her that the resources are there for student success, if students would only seek them out.

“It really teaches you that there’s no excuse, especially at Eastern,” she said. “If you’re not doing well, it’s probably on you.”

She took that tutoring/mentoring experience with her to another EWU program — College Assistance Migrant Program, or CAMP. Having earned a minor in Spanish, Mitchell thought working in the program would help her improve her command of the language, but she soon found it was the reverse with the five students she assisted.

“It was more important for them to speak English than it was for me to speak Spanish with them,” she said.

According to its website, CAMP is a “federally funded program designed to support students from migrant and seasonal farm worker backgrounds during their first year of college. The program provides students with financial assistance and support services, with the goal of preparing them to continue their education at Eastern Washington University.”

Mitchell said while she helped her five students in math, a lot of her work was in guiding them through the college experience, teaching them how to find resources and simple tasks such as learning how to speak with their instructors. She designed activities to help alleviate any stress they were having since they were the first in their families to attend college.

Working in CAMP did provide some Spanish-speaking opportunities, Mitchell said, but just as importantly, taught her about recognizing and acknowledging cultural differences. Part of that culture revolved around everyone in the family working at some point during the day, something she said she had to communicate to parents that their students wouldn’t have time for as obtaining a college education is a full-time job in itself.

Mitchell’s road to becoming student trustee also included serving as vice president on the Services & Activities Fee Committee as a junior. That proved to be a challenge, as they had $5.7 million in requests and only $4 million to spend, due partly to reduced revenue from Covid-19 shutdowns.

Mitchell said the experience opened her eyes to the various programs and activities happening at Eastern. She originally thought of serving with the Associates Students organization, but when she heard of the opening for a student trustee, decided to take that route because it offered her the chance to be a part of something a bit bigger.

“It’s really a big picture role,” she said. “That really called out to me.”

The process was involved, requiring filling out a huge application form asking multiple written answers, references and other pieces of information. Mitchell then went through numerous 30-minute interviews with students, faculty, a Board of Trustees member and finally Gov. Jay Inslee’s director of boards and commissions before her application was reviewed by the state Senate and finally Inslee himself.

Once she was chosen, another process began.

“It was like an email saying ‘Congratulations!’ with 30 attachments,” she said with a laugh.

All this took place in spring quarter 2021 while she was busy with taking Math 430, two statistics classes, tutoring with CAMP and working two jobs. But Mitchell is excited about the latest opportunity, which began for her on July 1.

“You respect the well-being of the university while keeping the student perspective in mind,” she said.

With many of her family earning EWU degrees, serving as student trustee is something Mitchell said seems a natural fit.

“It really is a part of me, that’s what I know, that’s what I am,” she said. “And, you can only be in so many places.”

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].