During the summer start to the academic year, Dr. Laura Galloway and I were asked to present a series of workshops (part of a larger set) for the employees of VIZIO in Irvine (a BU partner).
Focused on ‘Emotional Intelligence,’ we were pleased to bring much of our research and practicum expertise to employees from over a dozen different departments and management levels within this global company. To our delight, we were asked to return the following summer (via the team from BU Extended Ed).
This was one of many opportunities that I have had througout my tenure, where I have been asked to serve as a guest speaker, keynote, presenter, consultant, facilitator or reviewer.
These include, but are not limited to the following:
- Irvine Rotary: Young Professionals Summit (YP Summit OC Invite)
- City of Menifee Leadership Management sessions
- BU Riverside Campus Business Advisory Board
- BU Menifee Campus Business Advisory Board
- BU Ontario Campus Outreach Advisory Board
- City of Temecula
- Riverside Community College District – Board of Trustees
- Journal of International & Interdisciplinary Business Research (JIIBR)
- Moreno Valley Chamber of Commerce
As it relates to BU based volunteer organizations, in early spring of 2018, I led a discussion during one of our standing BU branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) meetings.
During that time, as Diversity Chair, and after much feedback from our members, our newly created BU AAUW Committee on Diversity proposed the ‘Forum on Diversity and Inclusiveness.’
Our goal was to take insights from our members (derived via an in-house questionnaire and open feedback during meetings), and host a forum that addressed matters on the subject, that resonated across boundaries.
We held the forum in May of 2018, prior to the start of the spring Faculty meetings.
With the much appreciated support of Provost Bullock, Dean’s Council, Faculty leadership and Central Offices staff, the body of approximately 80 convened for an hour(+) of un-paralleled conversation and action planning.
The feedback (still ongoing) to this forum, its impact and outcomes (including a new focus on diversity, equity and inclusive minded curriculum), is still unfolding.
For my part, I am both impressed by and thankful for the outpouring of ideas and goodwill that has come from my participation in designing and facilitating these efforts.
As noted above, in June of 2018, Dr.’s Galloway, Shukla-Belmontes, Steinberg and I were offered an opportunity to present at the ‘International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations,’ this year, held in Austin TX, USA.
We not only had an opportunity to share our own perspectives, we also gleaned information and best practices from the Vice Chancellors, Board Executives, Legal Counsel and senior adminstration who head their respective department or office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
I hope to continue to share insight via the ICDOC&N, along with shared resources via my membership in The Diversity Scholars Network (a scholarly community via the National Center for Institutional Diversity at the University of Michigan), committed to advancing understandings of historical and contemporary social issues related to identity, difference, culture, representation, power, oppression, and inequality — as they occur and affect individuals, groups, communities, and institutions.
One area that is year-round and holds a constant presence for me, is my work on the BU Institutional Review Board (BU IRB). With 9 standing members (including Dr. Douglas DeVore as Chair) from BU and one external ‘community’ member, we meet every two weeks (with additional meetings during the summer term).
While BU IRB is not a BU ‘standing committee,’ our bi-weekly efforts are appreciated by students and faculty, and serve as a source of pride among our dedicated team.
My efforts on BU IRB are complimented by my ongoing work with the EDOL program (6 years to date).
In January of 2019, Dr. David Gonzalez and I would return for a 5th Immersion presentation, this time as keynote speakers, to present on Diversity Cognizance entitled “Diversity Politics and Leadership: Why Cognizant Leaders know Diversity Counts.”
As an EDOL instructor, Dissertation Chair, Dissertation committee member, workshop presenter and research partner for the Prospectus course which contributes to Curriculum team work, I have availed myself as both ‘Doctoral Program knowledgeable’ and a ‘forever’ learned contributor, on loan from the School of Business.
*My Dean has always been gracious in this regards and our EDOL students and Core Curriculum team have shared their ongoing appreciation.