Chris Molina's TRiO Programs
Chris Molina
Code-Switching: Reshaping Authenticity
“You changed.”
This type of comment is incredibly common for first-gen students. As we begin and continue our journey in postsecondary education, we often feels out-of-place when we interact with friends/family from home. We might have different viewpoints, have different interests, use different words… we express ourselves differently.
We Code-Switch.
Code-Switching, or ‘changing the way we express ourselves around different groups of people’, isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it can be dangerous.
This signature program is designed to equip first-gen students, staff, and faculty with the tools to understand Code-Switching, it’s inherent benefits and harms. More than anything, Chris wants attendees to know they can talk openly, and genuinely, in all social situations without putting the comfort of others before their own.
He wants you to live authentically.
Students Will:
- Understand the origins and realities of Code-Switching in America
- Consider how we can hurt or uplift others with the words we use
- Evaluate whether Code-Switching is “okay” and its benefits and harms
- Challenge campus and organizational leaders to transform community culture to be more accepting of other dialects.
Low-Key Hate Talking to People?: Critical Skills First-Gen Students are Missing
Have you ever walked away from an interaction thinking “ugh…that didn’t go the way I expected!” Or maybe “that was painful! See? This is why I don’t talk to people!”
Or maybe you just want to be better at interpersonal communication because you understand the value of easily navigating human-to-human interaction.
Plainly, the art of communication is the language of leadership. If you can’t communicate, you can’t do leadership.
Chris Molina is here to help make this scary premise much easier.
In this signature program, Chris dives into the art of listening and communication and reveals his top tips and hacks to give you the ability to successfully talk to another human being face-to-face.
Too often Chris has defended “this generation” from grumpy “older” people who love to begin their sentences with “Kids these days…” But there is one thing he can’t defend; in our text-filled world where we spend more time talking on a keyboard than talking to someone in-person, we have greatly diminished our ability to have spontaneous conversations. And spontaneous conversations are crucial for leaders.
When someone brings a problem to a leader, how they react is a clear sign (to everyone) of how adept that leader is. The path to gaining trust from those around you, the path to building your own confidence, the path to being the leader you need to be… all paths go through communication.
Students Will:
- Identify & reflect on the importance of listening
- Understand the impact that good/bad listening has on the people around them
- Be aware of their listening patterns/tendencies
- Understand underutilized tips/tricks/hacks for effective communication
The Hard Things First: A Proven, No-Nonsense Method to Ensure Student Success
Do you ever feel lazy?
Do you have a long list of things that you NEED to do…and it’s not getting shorter because you can’t seem to get yourself to do them?
Do you have so many creative ideas that you can’t choose which one to start (or finish)?
OR…are you in a leadership position, and everyone comes to you and says, “I think it would be a great idea if we did this.” And then you’re left with a pile of ideas, but no one actually doing anything?
Chris Molina has seen ALL these situations thousands of times and he has seen good ideas and great leaders never reach their full potential. And, he has an answer:
In this strategy-packed program, Chris will show you how to create a framework that promotes individual and collective success by flipping the way we view our lives.
And doing the hard things first.
Students Will:
- Explore mental pathways related to ease, efficiency, and effort
- Develop habits pointed toward execution of big ideas
- Re-frame the concept of “hard things”
- Embrace the relationship between “hard things” and ridiculous success
What To Say After "Thank You For Your Service"
As a Marine Corps Veteran, Chris has witnessed many interactions between Veterans and Civilians. In today’s America, Veterans are often greeted with a “Thank You For Your Service”… but Chris has noticed something. He has noticed that many people want to say something more after “Thank You For Your Service”, but they don’t know what to say.
Chris has trained many organizations on what to say AFTER “Thank You For Your Service”, and he wants to share this knowledge with all TRIO programs that interact with Student Veterans.
This signature program from Chris Molina, former Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, introduces a way in which those who work with student veterans and military families can demonstrate a commitment of care. Through practical strategies and examples of common communication breakdowns, Chris will model how, when, and most importantly why you should be checking on those who served.
Students Will:
- Be introduced to the concept of a Radio Check and its applications to student veterans and military-connected families.
- Consider ways in which those who work with student veterans and military-connected families can develop a form of Radio Check in their daily interactions.
- Practice, through examples and applicable strategies, ways in which we can develop a better culture of care for student veterans and military-connected families using a check-in process.
Are You Going Through It?: How to Deal When Life’s a Trainwreck and Why It’s Important to First-Gen Students
Feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or like your life is spiraling out of control? You’re not alone.
In this insightful & practical program, we dive into the practical strategies for managing personal chaos and how mastering these skills is crucial for effective leadership.
Discover how to navigate through turbulent times, build resilience, and turn life’s trainwrecks into stepping stones for growth.
Learn why these experiences are not just obstacles but opportunities to strengthen your leadership capabilities and emerge stronger, more empathetic, and better equipped to guide others through their own challenges.
Students Will:
- Build resilience and get prepared for failure for two reasons: 1. Fear of failing holds us back, so let’s get better at failure so we try more things and 2. No matter what we do we will fail or struggle or experience challenge
- Understand the power of “reframing”
- Create strategies to develop & keep healthy habits
- Remember that they are resilient