Tough Conversations

Situation Critical: Responding to Difficult Situations Through Role-Play
Union 209, 2:50-3:30pm (Session Period 2)

Few people are skilled at effectively responding to a difficult situation the first time they encounter it. It is easy to imagine you will respond calmly, but when tension is high our response may be very different. Training and role-play can help us recognize warning signs of a challenging situation and allow us to process them more quickly, react more effectively, and respond with care. In this session, participants will role-play scenarios drawn from the group’s personal classroom experiences to help them start to develop a routine for handling difficult situations. This session is designed for participants of all different roles - student, faculty, administrator, and beyond.

Presenters

Mariya Vaughan
Assistant Director, K-State First

Mariya Vaughan is the Assistant Director of K-State First, the university’s first-year experience program. Vaughan oversees and manages the daily operations of K-State First and the work of its team members, collaborates with partner units on campus, directs the diversity and inclusion efforts within the program, coordinates the GPS mentoring program, leads K-State First’s communications and marketing outreach, works closely with students as a teacher in both CAT Community and First-Year Seminar courses, and is the faculty/staff advisor for the K-State First student group. She earned her bachelor's degree in graphic design and women's studies from Kansas State University, and continued on at K-State to earn her master's in English and women's studies.

Brent Weaver
Learning Assistant Coordinator, K-State First

Brent Weaver works closely with students as a teacher, supervisor, tutor, and mentor. Weaver trains and mentors learning assistants in the K-State First CAT Community and First-Year Seminar programs. Weaver also trains the K-State First faculty, collaborates with various units across campus through committee work, continues to develop the University Experience curriculum, and serves as an advisor for Phi Eta Sigma, an honor society housed within K-State First. Weaver earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in English from Kansas State University with a focus on writing studies. He also was the co-president for the Student Association of Graduates in English and president of the Rhetoric and Composition Society.