SH
Sher Her
  • Biology
  • Class of 2015
  • Saint Paul, MN

Sher Her, of St. Paul, MN Recognized for Achievements With St. Scholastica's Multicultural Leadership Orientation

2012 Dec 7

Sher Her, son of Zang Thor Her and Mai Moua of St. Paul, is a student leader at the College of St. Scholastica who serves as a peer mentor for the Multicultural Leadership Orientation (MLO) program. The MLO is an award-winning initiative of the Office of Institutional Diversity that builds leaders who are committed to social justice and diversity on campus.

A photo of Her is available here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tlue85002cmggi3/Sher%20Her.jpg?m

During the week-long MLO orientation, incoming St. Scholastica students are led by a team of dynamic and dedicated student mentors who facilitate interactive workshops that dive deeply into subjects such as Intercultural communication, leadership, and white privilege.

Sher's involvement with the MLO program has given him the opportunity to strengthen leadership skills, while paving the way toward roles of positive influence on campus and in the community.

With involvement in St. Scholastica's MLO program, students transfer their newly acquired leadership skills and join campus clubs and organizations that foster social justice and inclusion on campus.

The Duluth-Superior Area Community Foundation has awarded the St. Scholastica MLO a Touchstone Award for "Inclusivity." The Foundation considered hundreds of candidates in the categories of Generosity, Civic Engagement and Inclusivity, paring the list down to 9 finalists including two in the inclusivity category, one of which was St. Scholastica's MLO program initiative.

Students who have participated in the MLO finish with a strong sense of belonging in a community that continues to work towards a more inclusive environment while addressing issues related to diversity.

Student success is the goal, and perhaps the strongest evidence that the MLO is working is improved retention. For the second consecutive year, retention of students of color was higher than retention of all first-year students, which is exceptionally rare in higher education, noted Emily Johnson, director of the Department of Institutional Diversity.

The College of St. Scholastica is regularly recognized as one of the finest colleges in the Midwest. The 2013 "America's Best Colleges" survey by U.S. News & World Report magazine ranks St. Scholastica in the top tier of Midwestern universities. The Washington Post has rated St. Scholastica as one of the nation's 100 "hidden gems" among U.S. colleges and universities.