It has been one year since I joined the EMU community in the inaugural role of executive director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. During the first year, I focused on learning about EMU, building relationships, and identifying ways of advancing the DEI strategic priorities for 2020-23: increase a sense of belonging among our community, reimagine support processes for our diverse student population, diversify our faculty/staff, and support faculty development to implement student-centered pedagogies for our diverse student body.
I am taking this opportunity to share two DEI initiatives that aim to address some of our challenges. I hope that sharing these stories elicit a deep sense of curiosity and encourages our community to continue contributing to increasing a sense of belonging.
EMU Inclusive Excellence Grants
Many of you have shared the need to have a more inclusive community and build relationships across differences. As a way of starting to move us in the right direction, the Inclusive Excellence Grant Program is now a reality. This grant program focuses on advancing our mission to cultivate a culture of belonging through embracing diversity and inclusivity within the Harrisonburg campus and Lancaster site.
We recently announced the first cohort of award recipients for the Inclusive Excellence Grants. The projects funded include: redeveloping the outdoor courts to create a student-centered space, painting an inclusivity science mural in the Suter Science Center, inviting a series of DEI speakers to address the undergraduate admissions personnel as part of a larger effort to equip them with DEI skills, exhibiting a photovoice project that documents LGBTQ+ student perspectives, relocating the presidential portraits and inviting speakers to generate discussion across our campus of the need for diverse representation of people to enhance belonging, and organizing a day-long tour for faculty and staff on African American history in Harrisonburg and the surrounding valley. I invite you to read more about these projects in the EMU news.
The next application cycle for the Inclusive Excellence Grants will open on September 5, 2022. I hope you consider submitting a proposal. You can find more information about this grant and the Hertzler-Koshy Faculty Fellowship Program on the EMU DEI website.
DEI professional development for faculty
Being student-centered means that we must support our faculty and set them up for success. One of the challenges that many students have shared is the need to provide professional development to faculty in DEI. Specifically creating safe spaces in the classroom and implementing student-centered pedagogies for our diverse student body. Our faculty at EMU are life learners and are eager to continue to grow in their teaching. As a response, the DEI office is developing a mentoring program for the faculty who are part of the cohort hire. This inaugural mentorship program will take place during the fall 2022 semester. As part of the programming: we will discuss the EMU Anabaptist educational mission, connect faculty with student organizations, introduce faculty to local community leaders and organizations (e.g., Shenandoah Valley Black History Project, Friendly City Safe Space, Monacan nation), and provide DEI training.
What’s next?
I am aware that we have a ways to go to fully live into our DEI vision and mission. The two initiatives shared above are a tiny drop in the ocean compared to what is needed to fully live into our DEI vision. The challenges are ever-present, but our institutional commitment to DEI remains strong. Together we will continue to build relationships, identify structures that need to change, and create spaces of belongingness.
I am grateful to the EMU community for their support and passion for building a community where we can all bring our authentic voices and selves to campus.