Dr. Benita Rashaw is the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs at Frederick Community College. In this episode, Benita shares her story of growing up in Washington D.C. and talks about her love of school from an early age. Growing up, school was a safe space for her. In college, she worked as a Resident Director, where she could help young women transition from high school to college. She helped them understand the financial aid process and provided support that she wished she had. 

Benita has been a cultivator of college student engagement and success her entire career. She uses her personal experience as a first-generation college student to connect with those aspiring to attend college, expecting that it will provide enhanced opportunities for themselves and their families. Tune in to hear Benita share her thoughts on the importance of community in college, as well as hear her experiences in education and leadership. 

About Dr. Benita Rashaw:

A promoter of all things college, Dr. Benita Rashaw is a native of Washington, DC  and a proud graduate of DC Public Schools. She attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), where she earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees.

For over 23 years, she has supervised and led several student affairs areas, which include residence life, student conduct, student leadership and engagement, career services, and campus life. Additionally, she taught as an adjunct faculty for over 15 years. 

As an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated member, Dr. Rashaw enjoys serving others through her engagement in the Frederick community. Of her many accomplishments, Benita is most proud of being a devoted wife, mother of two daughters, and furbaby mom to two Yorkies, Maya and Ace. 

Episode Timestamps:

• Benita’s life journey {01:22}
• Personal bumps along the way {07:20}
• Yearning for more {12:45}
• Understanding students needs {19:21}
• Food lockers {23:40}
• FCC - A community’s college {29:17}
• It’s a wonderful word {31:25}

“I would always ask them, what barriers did you experience today to get here? It puts a ball in my throat even thinking about what they would share with me. They were leaving sick kids at home, but they were scared to miss school because they didn't wanna fail. They had to catch rides with people because they didn't have money to get on the metro, or their car broke down or the car was repossessed, or I gotta make a decision to pay my tuition or to go to the grocery store. And I would be so amazed that these people worked all day, ran home to take care of kids, and now they're sitting in this class trying to figure it out. I just was like, how dynamic is that? For them to have to have all of these barriers and things that are running in the back of their head, but they're taking one or two classes at a time to earn a degree. How could I not support a student like that?”

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