Listening to diverse points of view in the UGA community is a way for faculty, staff and students to enhance their learning experience, said Arthur Tripp, assistant to UGA President Jere W. Morehead, at UGA’s annual Embracing Diversity event Sept. 13 in the Chapel.
“We celebrate diversity of thought, diversity of origin and diversity of our experiences,” said Tripp, who received a bachelor’s degree in political science from UGA in 2009. “It is the diversity of thought on this campus that challenged me to think deeper, to think harder, to explore my sense of curiosity on how to make our nation and our community a better place.”
The Embracing Diversity event is an annual celebration of the value of diversity and inclusion, said Michelle Garfield Cook, associate provost of the Office of Institutional Diversity and UGA’s chief diversity officer. This year’s event featured Tripp as the keynote speaker; the event also recognized employees who completed requirements for the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate, and scholarships were presented to students who had promoted diversity in their communities.
During his remarks, Tripp, who served as a senior adviser for U.S. Rep. David Scott, recalled visiting regions across the U.S. and sharing conversations with other congressional staff members with a variety of points of view.
He said he came away from the experience knowing that there are more things that unite people than divide people, and listening to diverse points of view is a key to highlighting these commonalities.
During the event, UGA President Jere W. Morehead commended the efforts of faculty, staff and students for promoting a more diverse environment on campus. He said there are statistics that indicate that UGA is making progress in promoting diversity.
“We can also recognize that there is much still to be done at the University of Georgia,” Morehead said. “All of us working together will be critical to our future success at making this campus a more diverse, welcoming and inclusive place to work and to study.”
During the event, the Black Alumni Association Scholarship, sponsored by the UGA Alumni Association, was presented to Oroboso Idehen and JaKari Goss. The Diversity Scholarship, sponsored by the UGA Athletic Association, was presented to Jamie Rodriguez Ramirez and Sydney Pressley.
Sixty-six UGA employees were recognized for earning the UGA Diversity and Inclusion Certificate. A partnership of the Office of Institutional Diversity, the Training and Career Development Center and other diversity-related offices and programs at UGA, the certificate is presented to UGA employees who completed six courses covering a variety of diversity-related areas.
The 2016 certificate recipients are Sarah Adams, College of Education; Kyle Anderson, Division of Student Affairs; Enriqueta Anglada, Finance and Administration; Justin Barnett, College of Education; Doug Bell, Graduate School; Chelsea Brandon, Office of the Vice President for Instruction; Taylor Cain, Student Affairs; Carl Campbell, Finance and Administration; Matthew Chambers, Division of Marketing and Communications; Victoria Cooper, College of Journalism and Mass Communication; Elizabeth Crowley, Auxiliary Services; Lucy Daigle, Student Affairs; Jessica Daniels, Terry College of Business; Michelle December, Student Affairs; Margaret Denna, College of Education; Linda Dunbar, College of Education; Inez Finch, Student Affairs; James Garrett, Office of the Vice President for Research; Noah Giansiracusa, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; Emmie Gooch Bennett, Student Affairs; Scott Gray, Student Affairs; Shantara Freanda Gresham, Finance and Administration; Jody Hall, Student Affairs; Jenny Hess, The Georgia Review; Donovan Hollis, College of Public Health; John Joey Hreha, Office of the Vice President for Instruction; Melissa Jackson, Marketing and Communications; Elizabeth James, Student Affairs; Holly Kaplan, College of Education; Kathy Lou, Franklin College; Caitlin McDonald, Student Affairs; Sayge Medlin, Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach; Kelly Meyer, Grady College; Brooke Miley, Office of the Vice President for Instruction; Tina Mixon, Student Affairs; Mercey Montgomery, Office of the Vice President for Instruction; Leslie Moon, Athletic Association; Chrisy Mramor, Student Affairs; Joshua Murray, Auxiliary Services; Jill Naylor, College of Education; Charles Nicolosi, Office of the President; Brian Norman, Development and Alumni Relations; Debra Norman, Student Affairs; Latoya Norman, Finance and Administration; Margaret O’Brien, Grady College; Cristina Perez, Student Affairs; Dominique Quarles, Student Affairs; Christina Reynolds, Student Affairs; Regina Scott, Office of the Vice President for Instruction; Andre Simmons, Finance and Administration; Jared Smith, Office of the Vice President for Instruction; Jennifer Thompson Smith, Graduate School; Craig Smolenski, Food Administration; Laura Solomon, The Georgia Review; Angela Sparacello, Office of Research; Sean Sterrett, Graduate School; Deedy Stroberg, Finance and Administration; Naseem Tate, Office of Legal Affairs; Amy Thomas, Student Affairs; Diana Torell, Office of the Vice President for Instruction; Danielle Walker, Student Affairs; Brian Williams, Student Affairs; Lisa Williamson, Student Affairs; Mary Willoughby, UGA Libraries; Katherine Wilson, UGA Libraries; and June Windate, Student Affairs.
