Paris Lawrence
Paris Lawrence has been named assistant director of diversity education within the Office of Institutional Diversity at the University of Georgia.
This position was recommended by UGA’s Presidential Task Force on Race, Ethnicity, and Community. The task force endorsed creating the educator position in order to expand access to diversity training on campus in an effort to continue to raise awareness and build skills regarding diversity and inclusion. Lawrence will work with Michelle Cook, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and strategic university initiatives, and Dominique A. Quarles, director of diversity and inclusion, in developing and providing UGA’s diversity education programming.
In this role, Lawrence will facilitate voluntary diversity education sessions for faculty, staff and students.
“We are very fortunate to add Mr. Lawrence to the Office of Institutional Diversity team. His background, experience and expertise will be a real asset to our diversity and inclusion efforts. I am very excited about the diversity education programming and curriculum that he will develop for the university,” Cook said.
“As assistant director, Mr. Lawrence will lead our office in the creation and facilitation of diversity education opportunities at the University of Georgia. I look forward to working with him as we expand the capacity of our Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion program and seek to offer additional avenues for campus community members to engage with our office and take advantage of our services,” Quarles said.
Lawrence said he is excited to join the UGA community in his new role.
“I am elated to work alongside the brilliant individuals in the Office of Institutional Diversity, and I also look forward to connecting and working with our many partners and constituents across campus,” he said.
Lawrence has a rich experience of working in higher education and educational programming. At Georgia Southern University, he served as the coordinator of diversity education and program outreach in the Office of Multicultural Affairs. In this role, he built curricula and facilitated diversity, equity and inclusion training and educational sessions for faculty, staff and students. Lawrence also coordinated the office’s multicultural/multi-identity programming and advised the Diversity Peer Educators Program. Lawrence served as a member of the institution’s Sexual Assault Response Team, Student Conduct Board and the Student Affairs Assessment & Strategic Planning divisional committee.
Lawrence received a Bachelor of Business Administration in human resource management from Georgia Southern University and a Master of Education in college student affairs administration from the University of Georgia.
