ACE Center introduces “Life Skills” micro-credential courses

Students attend college with hopes of learning valuable material from professors and university faculty. After studying for hundreds of tests and completing homework, students may have mastered the material in their classes, but what about the skills that aren’t taught in a book?

The Access, Connections and Engagement Center has been focusing on connecting with students at Marshall University by introducing activities that will benefit them in life after college.

The ACE Center was created after merging the former LGBTQ+ Office, the Center for African American Studies and the International Student Office into one organization in compliance with Patrick Morrisey’s, the West Virginia attorney general, executive order to disband DEI initiatives across the state earlier 2025.

ACE Center Director Shaunte Polk said she doesn’t want to lose focus on the prior missions and goals for students.

“We thought that we should focus on all our incoming students, so whether you’re a new freshman, a new transfer, a first-time international student … we wanted to make sure that (students) had all the resources they could have to actively engage on campus and also in the Huntington community,” Polk said.

Polk, along with her coordinator, Destiny Tomblin, developed the “ACE Life-Skills Workshops” after hearing students’ struggles over the years.

“It was kind of a culmination of what we hear from students throughout the year, especially when we were still in Intercultural Affairs,” Polk said. “So, it was these skill sets that we came up with that were like ‘ah-ha’ moments, and ‘I wish I would’ve known this sooner’ (moments).”

The first workshop the ACE Center held was on Aug. 27, titled “We Make Money Moves,” teaching students different ways to support themselves during school.

“We had Foundation and Financial Aid come and talk about work-study and the scholarship portal, when to fill out your FAFSA on time … if you need emergency funds,” Polk said.

The second workshop in the series was held on Sept. 10 in collaboration with Huntington Kitchen. The “Nourish and Flourish: Cooking on a Budget” workshop was hosted by head chef Isabele Cross and focused on teaching students how to cook delicious and healthy meals in the dorms using an air fryer.

“It was to show students that you don’t have to break the bank to cook in your dorm because some people get tired of eating Harless and Chick-fil-A,” Polk said.

The workshop allowed students to get hands-on experience making meals for themselves, learning essential skills that are necessary post-grad. Polk said students made pizzas, and Cross provided some recipes that will be uploaded to Blackboard for students who couldn’t attend in person.

Polk also discussed future workshops and the steps she and Tomblin have taken to make sure they’re addressing students’ needs.

“The one for October is (about) bystander intervention and knowing the rules, regulations and laws on campus and in the Huntington community. We have partnered with Senior Director of Student Advocacy and Accountability Lisa Martin and Leah Tolliver’s office (Wellness and Gender Programs),” Polk said.

Some future workshops Polk highlighted include teaming up with the Counseling Center to discuss mental health during the holidays and addressing tax-related questions and concerns in January.

The workshops will allow students to earn a microcredential to add to their professional resumes. If students attend four or more workshops in the life-skills series, they will receive a certificate of completion. The events are also livestreamed and saved onto Blackboard, so students can watch them anytime.

“There will be a post-survey after each course. Once you do that, it will count towards the microcredential,” Polk said. “We try and make them as fun as possible, and they’re only for an hour.” 

Students are encouraged to take advantage of these free life-skills workshops hosted by the ACE Center. For more information or to view upcoming events, visit https://events.marshall.edu/ and search for “ACE” or visit Shaunte Polk at the ACE Center in East Hall.

Abby Ayes can be contacted at [email protected].