A look back at Spring 2025
As the semester draws to a close, the Student Affairs Diversity Committee takes a look back at all of the events and initiatives that continue to set ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ« apart from the rest. The goal of the Diversity Committee is to work to support faculty, staff and students and create an environment of inclusion and equality for all that choose to set foot on our campus.
From discussion panels to conferences and many events in between, the Diversity Committee has been concentrating on ways to connect members of the ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ« community with each other and with the mission of equity and inclusion. From the start of the semester, the committee has had a hand in planning and participating in events that contribute to changing the ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ« ecosystem for the better.
A Day of Reflection
The Diversity Committee hosted a Day of Reflection to allow students to reflect on
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and access advocacy resources.
Discussion panel on incoming government administration changes
A distinguished panel of experts, hosted by the Center for Civic Engagement and the
Divisional Diversity Officer, was brought together with the hopes of providing perspectives
on key policy areas such as diversity, equity and inclusion; administration; food
and hunger policy; and immigration. The discussion offered an opportunity to explore
these critical topics, ask questions and learn how to navigate this period of change
together.
Faculty and staff members were encouraged to participate and join the conversation
at this opportunity to reflect, learn and prepare for the challenges and possibilities
ahead.
Multicultural Professional Development Summit (MPDS)
The Student Association’s Vice President for Multicultural Affairs (VPMA) office hosted a full day's worth of events including panels, networking events and a dinner serving 80+ students, faculty and alumni of color. Students were able to actively engage in conversations with professionals and ask questions they had about being a person of color in the workforce. This event was hosted in collaboration with the Student Association (SA) President's Office to facilitate an environment where multicultural students did not feel as though they needed to compete against white applicants. MPDS was the first event of its kind at ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ«.
One Billion Rising
One Billion Rising is a global mass action call to end violence against women (cisgender, transgender and those who hold fluid identities that are subject to gender-based violence). A social justice initiative that supports ÑÇÖÞÇéɫ’s community efforts to unite to foster a diverse and inclusive campus environment, One Billion Rising is an opportunity to engage the larger ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ« community in efforts to end violence against women.
Racial Healing Workshop
In honor of Black History Month, the UDiversity Educational Institute and the University Counseling Center presented a Racial Healing Workshop. In this workshop, participants acknowledged the harm of historical and systemic racial injustices, learned effective communication skills to foster empathy, learned active listening skills to create a safe space for open dialogue on sensitive racial issues, and developed an action plan for ongoing commitment to racial healing and social justice.
Empowered Women, Empowered Leaders Conference
This dynamic, day-long conference brought together leading women, co-conspirators, advocates, University faculty/staff, students and community members to address critical issues such as wage gaps, career advancement and social empowerment. Attendees discovered effective strategies utilized by leaders in different industries that they can apply to their own work. Featured speakers included Emily Mays with Axis Partners, New York Senator Lea Webb, Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Decker College Sharon Bryant and Assistant Dean for Academic Diversity and Inclusive Excellence for Watson College of Engineering Carmen Jones in addition to many other valued panelists and presenters.
The SADDI grant helped bring the vision of the Empowered Women, Empowered Leaders Conference to life — creating space for connection, affirmation and forward-looking leadership rooted in equity and community.
As we look ahead to another incoming semester, we hope to amplify the message of diversity and inclusion and will continue to support the initiatives of our campus partners. The support of our community allows us to shine a light on these efforts and ensure that everyone has the same opportunity to grow.
The committee is dedicated to continuing its support for initiatives led by various offices across campus. We'd love to hear from you—what would you like to see from the committee, and how can we best support your work?
Please share your ideas and suggestions by emailing saddo@binghamton.edu. We look forward to hearing from you!