Creating ‘Brave Spaces’ for Poole Undergraduates

Laryssa Banks once wanted to be a doctor, to help address health care disparities and broaden access to medical services for disadvantaged groups.

But as Poole College’s new assistant director of student affairs and advocacy for undergraduates, she has no use for thermometers, stethoscopes and blood pressure monitors.

Her tools? Positive energy, a welcoming attitude, solid support — and a powerful voice to speak for students and their success.      

Still, Banks sees a parallel between her Poole position and a physician’s role.

In considering an OB-GYN and pediatrics career as a child in Philadelphia, she was drawn partly to “growing inclusive medical practices” for women of color and others, she says. “What I’m doing now is very similar to what I wanted to do as a doctor.” 

What she’s doing now is overseeing Poole’s Student Hub in Nelson Hall, a community-building space for studying, job interviews, special events and other activities. The Hub is the meeting place for Poole’s various student groups of certain populations — LGBTQ; Asian, Black and Latino; women.  

“We live in a world that’s very divisive and good at polarizing and separating people. We need to be more inclusive, have more compassion and really learn about each other’s experiences,” Banks says. “Developing an inclusive space, a brave space, where you’re encouraged to put your best self forward is very important in higher education.”

By reinforcing a sense of belonging, the Hub can inspire students to model that in their careers. “They’ll need to encourage those brave spaces in industries” after they graduate, Banks says. 

“Developing an inclusive space, a brave space, where you’re encouraged to put your best self forward is very important in higher education.”

She also works with other staff members to promote Poole Packways, a program that offers high-impact, professional development experiences for students in areas including leadership, cultural expectations and networking. They gain “a tangible list of accomplishments” to help market themselves to employers, she says. 

One of her goals for the next academic year is to coordinate with Poole career services staff to revamp the first-generation students’ association and help them develop a leadership team and organize events.

First In Her Role

Banks is the first person in her job at Poole, based in the Office of Undergraduate Programs. 

“My position is important because students don’t always know they have someone here whose entire role is to connect them to opportunities, support them and be a shoulder to cry on sometimes,” she says. “Academics are important, but the skills and experiences that develop outside the classroom are equally important.”

The role reinforces Poole’s commitment to providing undergraduates with community-growing opportunities and a staff leader like Banks “to serve as a pillar and anchor for students,” she says.

Banks relied on pillars and anchors as an undergraduate at Temple University. She credits mentors outside the classroom with giving her the guidance she needed to graduate with a degree in health professions.  

A New Mayor in Town

What happened to medical school? 

Organic chemistry was hard. And Banks’ involvement in Temple’s extracurricular activities — from student body vice president to orientation leader to sorority member — introduced her to the many career options in working with students.

As an undergraduate, she was known as “the mayor of Temple,” she says. “My friends used to call me Miss Temple because of the amount of information I had about campus resources. That put me in rooms I never thought I’d be in,” meeting with top campus administrators and learning how universities operate. Next was a master’s degree in higher education.

Her uncle, Naquan Banks, is a 2014 graduate of Poole’s MBA program. That connection, with the draw of Raleigh and a climate she likes, influenced her decision to choose Poole.  

Banks wanted a position that combines student leadership development, events management and mentoring different student populations. The Poole role delivers. 

“The students energize me so much — their stories, their prospects for the future,” she says. “I see so much life in them. I see their potential. It really excites me to see where they’re going to go.”

Crochet and Beyoncé

When she’s not advocating for Poole students, Banks’ life off campus is arts-focused.  

Her interests include crocheting, practicing standup comedy for open mic nights, and line dancing. Banks, who grew up studying ballet, jazz, hip hop and modern dance, also played violin and piano and once dreamed of attending The Juilliard School for the arts.

Now she has a new ambition. The dedicated Beyoncé fan wants to try out someday as a dancer for one of the singer’s tours. “I’m going to audition just to audition, to check something off my bucket list. That’ll be my new fun fact,” Banks says.