Approximately 200 people attended the university’s 2022 Multicultural Faculty and Staff Reception, held March 2 at the Georgia Museum of Art.
“As we build a campus environment that is inclusive, that respects and celebrates everyone, we can make the University of Georgia the model for other great universities,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “I want to encourage all of you to step forward and continue to make a difference each and every day in what you do at this great university.”
From left, Nakia Wade, human resources senior manager for the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, laughs with Angela Birkes, director for the Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, and Chandra Echols, University Libraries head of finance and administration during the Multicultural Faculty and Staff Reception. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA)
Morehead spoke about the campus diversity and inclusive excellence plan created over the last two years, which encourages individual units to develop their own diversity plan. He also mentioned several new diversity and inclusion programs, including one in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences that will bring students from Fort Valley State University interested in attending graduate school to UGA this summer for a nine-week residential program.
“Building relationships across the state with HBCU institutions is also one of the goals in our strategic plan and one of the things we are committed to working on in the future,” he said.
Michelle Cook, right, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and strategic university initiatives, speaks during the Multicultural Faculty and Staff Reception. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA)
Michelle Cook, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and strategic university initiatives, also spoke about the importance of events and programs like these.
“This event provides an opportunity for us to celebrate the diversity that is UGA and for us to stop and reflect on the value of faculty and staff from various backgrounds. This diversity is critical to the learning environment that we all create for UGA students and for the welcoming and inclusive environment that we all continue to build as members of the UGA community,” she said. “We are proud of the accomplishments we have made in regards to diversity and inclusion, but we have work to do. We are committed on a daily basis to building an inclusive community of students, scholars and employees.”
