Lindsay is committed to ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) on the ACE-WIL board and in programming and training. Lindsay has advocated for WIL practitioners to become certified in emotional intelligence (EI), resulting in 76 individuals in 20 BC institutions in obtaining the EQ-i certification. Research indicates emotional intelligence is a vital skill encompassing most of the essential skills identified as gaps for 21st century students and there is an immediate need for PSI educators to be trained. EQ is also considered one of the main skills sets that allow students to be motivated, adaptable, resilient and thrive in times of change – all power skills that are needed more than ever in today’s climate. Lindsay understands that, as educators, we need to broaden the scope of what it means to be academically “smart” or “intelligent” as we enhance curriculum to prepare students for a changing world. It is critical to integrate emotional intelligence into work-integrated learning (WIL) programming and academic curriculum. Due to Lindsay’s efforts, there is now a dedicated community of practice that is continuing the dialogue into the relationship between emotional intelligence, work-integrated learning and higher education.
Most recently, Ms. Wood also brought the certification opportunity back to her own institution, KPU, to faculty and staff who facilitate experiential learning opportunities for students, most of whom were not aware of ACE-WIL. Throughout the three-day training, she served as both an ambassador of your association and also of WIL as a mindset and practice, consistently making connecting between WIL and EI practices, and encouraging participants to consider how they might employ EI in their own contexts.
In the next coming years, as WIL programs and professionals incorporate EDI principles in their practice, students who participated in WIL programs and activities are able to articulate how their participation enhance their emotional intelligence and in turn their career success, Lindsay Wood is likely a reason for these positive systemic shifts.