Diversity Initiatives Grant Progress Report
The following is a summary of the Diversity Initiatives Grants from the previous year and their current progress.
Project #1: Becoming Visible in the Workplace: Changing Times for Gays and Lesbians
Julie H. Newman, Michelin Career Center
Reggie Simpkins, Michelin Career Center
Theresa Pizzuto, Gantt Intercultural Center
The purpose of this initiative is to provide a series of workshops led by Mr. Brostoff, a well-known career development leader in gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) challenges that will support and include this underserved population at Clemson University. He will present a workshop for students, as well as an additional workshop for faculty and staff, that will address particular issues faced by this group in the workplace. Both workshops will focus on the coming out process, the stages of self-acceptance, various influences that may affect the employee’s productivity (such as workplace climate), and a review of cultural issues responding to today’s political and social pressures. The workshops will provide an opportunity for awareness, insight, and a means of deepening the understanding of the experiences faced by the GLBT members of the Clemson University campus community.
The Michelin Career Center and the Gantt Intercultural Center recognize and acknowledge the contributions of GLBT students and will work together to promote community and diversity on campus through additional offerings of specialized workshops and services that further embrace the inclusion of this group. Through this project we will also strengthen the relationships with the Clemson Gay Straight Alliance as well as Clemson faculty, staff, and students. This workshop is an opportunity to expand the outreach of the Michelin Career Center and the Gantt Intercultural Center to a traditionally underserved audience that could benefit from this additional attention and support as well as deepening the understanding of the community and diversity issues facing the GLBT members of the Clemson family.
Project Status:
No grant funds have been used at this time. The project will take place mid-spring. The grant money will be used for the speaker’s honorarium, travel, lodging, as well as workshop materials. The project is expected to be completed by the end of April.
Project #2: Holi 2008
Shareena Sujanani, Computer Engineering
The purpose of the project is to inform students of the Indian tradition known as Holi as well as allow them to experience Indian food and music. This event will bring different students together to experience Holi and teach them about the Indian Culture. It was a huge success last year, but we are hoping to expand it and have different events to teach students about the Indian culture and encourage interaction between students from different ethnic backgrounds.
Project Status:
No grant funds have been used at this time. The event will be held in March 2008. The grant funds will be used to obtain music, sound system, buckets, tarps, tents, Mehendi supplies, and other supplies.
Project #3: Clemson Cultural Exchange Community
Constancio K. Nakuma, Languages
Louise Bregger, Gantt Intercultural Center
Jim Cross, International Affairs
The purpose of the project is to enrich the Clemson University Cultural Exchange Community (CEC) and help integrate American students into the living space and daily routines of international students on campus.
Project Status:
No information has been provided at this time.
Project #4: The Scholars Lecture Series
Lamont A. Flowers, Charles H. Houston Center for the Study of the Black Experience in Education
The Scholars Lecture Series enhances the Faculty Development Program, a professional development experiences that is designed to enable workshop participants to discuss published research and data as well as the Charles H. Houston Center’s research findings that describe the state of research and scholarship on issues impacting the recruitment and retention of African American and other underrepresented faculty in postsecondary settings. The purpose of The Scholars Lecture Series is to invite academicians to speak to participants of the Faculty Development Program as well as other faculty at Clemson University. The aim of the lecture series is to provide strategies to assist faculty in maintaining a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives while also contributing to the campus community and producing research and scholarship.
Project Status:
Friday, September 21, 2007 – Dr. James L. Moore III from The Ohio State University presented a lecture in which he discussed strategies for balancing faculty productivity and campus community.
Friday, May 16, 2008 – Dr. Donna Y. Ford, Betts Chair of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University presented a lecture regarding how to balance the rigors of teaching and service while producing quality scholarship.
Project #5: Diversity Issues in Higher Education: Voices of Doctoral Students
Frankie Keels Williams, Leadership, Counselor Education, Human and Organizational Development
Cheryl Warner, Leadership, Counselor Education, Human and Organizational Development
The purpose of the project is to encourage doctoral students in educational leadership to share their perspectives on diversity issues at Clemson University and the surrounding community in a scholarly format.
Project Status:
To date, $1,000 have been used to purchase the materials for the project. The remaining funds will be used to assist in obtaining an individual to serve as facilitator for a session with doctoral students; provide materials for students who will be attending the session; and to publish a monograph of essays written by students. The project is anticipated to be completed by May 2008. The overall intent of the project is to bring awareness among doctoral students in educational leadership, the Eugene T. Moore School of Education, Clemson University, and the local community. The publication will be disseminated to reach a wide audience.
Project #6: Women and the Sacred
Beatrice Bailey, Teacher Education
Beth Kunkel, Food Science and Human Nutrition
The purpose of the project is to bring ethnically diverse and nationally recognized scholars to campus to discuss the issues confronting women of faith who are involved in the public square.
Project Status:
Currently, $2,500 of the grant funds have been used to bring to campus an outstanding African American scholar and activist from Emory University, Dr. Teresa Fry Brown, spoke at STI in November about the challenges of African American womanist faith leaders and their considerable civic contributions. The remaining grant funds will be used to bring a female Muslim scholar to campus. We will work with the Honors College to forge a diverse panel. The project is expected to be completed by mid-April. We truly need to be funded every year and have a strong track record on which to build. We have met all of our objectives within our proposal and contribute quite mightily to CU’s goals of community and diversity.