Student Support

MCU prioritizes student connection, mental health and a collaborative community of support for our students. You are not on your journey alone. 

Check out a non exhaustive list of some of our resources below

Accommodations

MCU is committed to meeting the needs of its students and striving for inclusion and access to all classes, programs, and activities. Accommodations and adjustments are determined in a collaborative process on an individualized, case-by-case basis.

Student Services

MCU offers many resources to support student progress, success and satisfaction.  From House Mentors to Student Communities to Courageous Conversations, it takes a village to cultivate Midwives of Excellence.  Find out how we midwife the midwife.

Adjustment Agreements & Course Accommodations

MCU is committed to meeting the needs of its students and striving for inclusion and access to all classes, programs, and activities. This is done through determining reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. MCU engages in a collaborative process with each student and reviews requests for accommodations on an individualized, case-by-case basis. Students may be eligible for course accommodations depending on the nature and functional limitations of their documented disability. Flexibility with course standards can provide an alternate way for a student to meet course learning objectives and actively participate in the course while also managing a disability.

Adjustment agreements are provided to students who have a documented need due to experiencing variable and unpredictable disability-related symptoms..  Students can request reasonable accommodations for a great variety of disabilities such as but not limited to anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, ADHD and learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dysgraphia, all of which are covered by the ADA and can qualify students for academic accommodations. For a more complete list, please visit https://www.upcounsel.com/list-of-disabilities-covered-under-ada.

Academic accommodations may include:

  • Changes to a classroom environment or task that permit a student with a disability to participate in the educational process
  • Modifications to policies, practices, or procedures (e.g., reduced course load, extended time to degree, etc.)
  • Provision of accessible instructional materials and effective communication services

Other adaptations or modifications that enable a student to enjoy the benefits and privileges of the university’s programs, services, and activities. Students are expected to request flexibility associated via an adjustment agreement as early in the term as possible. Reasonable accommodations are determined following an individualized assessment of each request. Among the factors considered in determining reasonable accommodations for students are:

  • The nature of the student’s disability
  • Accommodations that have been accessed by that student in the past
  • Whether the requested accommodations will allow the student to effectively access and participate in the course
  • Whether the requested accommodations will alter the essential requirements of the course or program.

Adjustment agreements do not need to be renewed every year. They are valid the entire time the student is enrolled at MCU unless there is a specific expiration date listed on the letter or the student desires to update their accommodations. It is up to the student to determine whether to disclose their diagnosis in the agreement letter and to decide which classes to request accommodations for each trimester. Students can decide whether or not to disclose their diagnosis to course instructors. They can also request accommodations at any point during the term or at any phase of their academic enrollment. However, students who fail to provide their Academic Adjustment letters to faculty, are not permitted to request faculty to provide them retroactively. Students identified as eligible for accommodations are not permitted to seek retroactive use of accommodations prior to the time of establishing eligibility. Alternatives to retroactive accommodations should be discussed with the Office of Student Life.

Ultimately, a student’s academic accommodations are based on the following:

  • Medical Documentation
  • Intake Meeting and Assessment
  • Student Input
  • Faculty Input, upon student’s request

Adjustment Agreement Rights & Responsibilities

Adjustment Agreements Step-by-step Process

If you have a documented learning disability or other learning challenge and would benefit from an adjustment agreement please complete the request form by clicking below.

Completion of this form does not guarantee receipt of an adjustment agreement however it does begin formal dialogue with the student services / student life office regarding the creation of an agreement. 

Submit Request for Adjustment Agreement

Student Services

Support Services

Marijke van Roojen is Director of Student Services, studentservices@midwifery.edu She is responsible for coordinating the House Mentor Program, monitoring student satisfaction, tracking student progress and success, serving as the staff liaison to the MCU Student Council, and planning ongoing activities inherent to MCU student life and leadership.

Courageous Conversations

This is a bi-monthly focused drop-in group open to all faculty, staff and Students of MCU. This group is intended to be a safe space where critical dialogue is fostered, voices of marginalized communities are prioritized and listened to and active allies are cultivated. This will be a continuous platform of the SOSC 150/1010 course where dialogue and continued learning may take place. A student, faculty member or staff member will volunteer to host a conversation with a topic or focus in mind. More information can be found in the School Wide Events and Announcements Course.

Student Communities

MCU Student Communities provide those with similar interests, needs or perspectives the opportunity for specific, individual and unique support.  Visit the Canvas School Wide Events and Announcements Course for more information.

What can you expect

MCU is equal parts learning, equal parts experiencing

The program at MCU is divided into three phases:

Phase I Observe
Phase II Practice
Phase III Perfect

Distance Education

MCU is providing midwifery education wherever there is an internet connection! Our students are building electronic communities across platforms and geographies!

Community Leaders

Being a part of MCU means being a part of a community of midwifery leaders. MCU is committed to the vision that every family deserves a midwife. As U.S. rates of postpartum and infant mortality rise, especially in communities of color, the opportunity for well-educated, professional, and culturally competent midwives to better serve these communities grows. Our students are passionate about social justice and our training cultivates community leaders.

Prospective Students

 

Ask yourself where you want your journey to take you. With degree pathways as well as continuing education programs, MCU is ready to midwife you on your journey to becoming a Midwife of Excellence. For more information, fill out the form below!

House Mentor Program

The mission of the MCU House Program is to support the development of Midwives of ExcellenceTM  by fostering a unique house culture of connection that promotes personal and professional peer bonding; by providing each student continuity of care through progress monitoring and coaching; and committing to personal transformation with special attention to The Outward Mindset, Crucial Conversations, and Crucial Accountability (from The Arbinger Institute and Vital Smarts).

Check-Ins

Your House Mentor and you will check in regularly to help build a strong foundation for your time here at MCU.   You can expect your House Mentor to reach out to you a minimum of 2 times per trimester.  Some students find that a weekly email to your House Mentor describing what you have accomplished the week before and outlining your plans for the next week can be helpful. If you have any questions or concerns, you can also schedule another time to meet by phone, Google Meet, or via another platform. These check-ins do not count as participation assignments for other classes.  They are solely to help you navigate your journey at MCU.

The Check-Ins can include:

  • Discuss how things are going for you in the program
  • Discuss what is working well for you, and where you are struggling
  • Talk about any questions or concerns you might have
Compassionate Warrior House
House Mentor: Jodie Palmer
jodie.palmer@midwifery.edu
Good Earth House
House Mentor: Sandi Blankenship
sandi.blankenship@midwifery.edu
Graduate Students
House Mentor: Marijke van Roojen
vanroojen@midwifery.edu
First Year Experience
House Mentor: Demetra Seriki
demetra.seriki@midwifery.edu
Rose House
House Mentor: Celeste Pegues
celeste.pegues@midwifery.edu
Sacred Waters House
House Mentor: Marijke van Roojen
vanroojen@midwifery.edu
Silvermoon House
House Mentor: Sarah Butterfly
sarah.butterfly@midwifery.edu
Tea House
House Mentor: Demetra Seriki
demetra.seriki@midwifery.edu

Mental Health Matters

Check out the monthly newsletter from the Director of Life, Equity and Access covering topics in mental health and midwifery.

Mental Health Matters February 2022

Dear Students,   I was in an MCU space today where a student lifted up the importance of connecting to the JOY that is inherent in the work of midwifery. This call to take in joy, to let it wash over you and nurture you, to have the mundane miracles of the process of...

Mental Health Matters January 2022

The ebbs and flows of college life as a student midwife can be a difficult experience for everyone, but the COVID-19 pandemic has presented many new and unique challenges. In spite of this we know that prioritizing (and nurturing) mental health has proven to be a necessity during the pandemic…

Need Immediate Help In An Emergency?

 

 

If you or a loved one is in immediate danger calling 911 and talking with police may be necessary. It is important to notify the operator that it is a psychiatric emergency and ask for police officers trained in crisis intervention or trained to assist people experiencing a psychiatric emergency.

Need Immediate Help In An Crisis?

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call 800-273-TALK (8255)

If you or someone you know is in crisis—whether they are considering suicide or not—please call the toll-free Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline connects you with a crisis center in the Lifeline network closest to your location. Your call will be answered by a trained crisis worker who will listen empathetically and without judgment. The crisis worker will work to ensure that you feel safe and help identify options and information about mental health services in your area. Your call is confidential and free.

Crisis Text Line – Text NAMI to 741-741

Connect with a trained crisis counselor to receive free, 24/7 crisis support via text message.

National Domestic Violence Hotline – Call 800-799-SAFE (7233)

Trained expert advocates are available 24/7 to provide confidential support to anyone experiencing domestic violence or seeking resources and information. Help is available in Spanish and other languages.

National Sexual Assault Hotline – Call 800-656-HOPE (4673)

Connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area that offers access to a range of free services. Crisis chat support is available at Online Hotline. Free help, 24/7.

Disaster Distress Helpline – 800-985-5990 (TTY 800-846-8517) or text TalkWithUs to 66746 for 24/7 support