Working in close collaboration with faculty, staff, and student partners, the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence (OTIE) provides opportunities for the Miami community to continue our learning and engage in meaningful programming. Heritage Month programming supports Miami’s inclusive excellence approach and connects to, among other areas, DEI Task Force Recommendation, Pillar 2: Cultural Consciousness, which encourages the Miami University community to enhance our awareness, knowledge, and skills to enrich and renew our intercultural competence.

OTIE organizes programming, collaborates, coordinates, and supports events across campuses through a coordinated calendar for each month; promotion of events; and, when available, limited funding support for proposed events with appeal across campuses.

MU Libraries is partnering with OTIE to feature online resources, including films, books and articles, and class offerings, during each Heritage Month. We invite you to explore these and other educational resources and links on each webpage. 

To learn more about this quarter’s heritage months please visit our Heritage Month webpage:

• February: Black History Month
• March: Women’s History Month; National Deaf History Month

 For upcoming events, visit our University Events calendar page. 

President: April Robles, Director of Operations and Communications

The mission of the Asian/Asian American Faculty Staff Association is to bring together Asian and Asian American faculty and staff, and serve as a supportive community for Asian and Asian American employees and students. The Asian/Asian American Faculty Staff Association is currently building traction with the community and is seeking to provide opportunities for individuals to connect in a more casual atmosphere and then use that leverage to continue the growth and momentum of the group. If you are looking to make an impact and be a leader, this is the group for faculty and staff to join! If it is a personal passion and something they want to do to become more connected to the campus community, you are encouraged to reach out to April Robles to connect.

President: Seth Seward, Assistant Director, Alumni Relations

The Association of Black Faculty and Staff stands for diversity, equality, solidarity, and change for campus at large, students, and the Oxford community. As an organization, they will engage and participate in any efforts that are meant to educate and provide clarity of ideas of ending racism and discrimination. The Association of Black Faculty and Staff serves as a safe place for African American or black individuals to come together and meet. This is accomplished through general body meetings and social events. If something arises on campus that impacts the community, they gather together to discuss and hash out solutions in a safe space. The group also works to serve as a support system and network for students, staff, and faculty. While there are no current community events planned, anyone interested in becoming a member is encouraged to complete the membership formstack to connect.

President: José Amador, Associate Professor, Global and Intercultural Studies (Latin American, Latino/a, and Caribbean Studies)

The primary goal of the Association of Latinx Faculty and Staff primary is to support and raise awareness about the Latinx faculty and staff. They aim to build networks between departments and units, faculty and students, and Miami university and the community at large. The group also strives to raise the visibility of the Latin American Studies Program and the nearby Latinx community. Additionally, to keep everyone informed about everything Latinx-related, which is done through a weekly “bulletin” with news and events. This organization has been formed by employees of Miami University (Hamilton, Middletown, and Oxford campuses) to foster Latinx, Latin American and Caribbean, and Ibero, Luso-American representation, improve work conditions, and enrich the social and cultural environment for all Miami faculty, staff, and students. Individuals interested in connecting can reach out to José Amador.

President: Angela Coffey Brown, Administrative Assistant, Enrollment Management and Student Success

The Classified Personnel Advisory Committee is established for the purpose of advising the President, Vice Presidents, and Human Resources on matters of interest and concern to classified staff members in the context of the whole university community. The group accomplishes this by bringing issues/concerns/proposals to administration for input and/or action, serving (individual members) on university committees, and providing feedback/input on matters brought to the committee for review. Additionally, the Classified Personnel Advisory Committee is established to provide an institutional venue or forum in which matters of interest or concern to classified staff members can be discussed, considered, and/or moved forward through appropriate channels. Anyone interested in connecting with or joining the committee can contact Angela Coffey Brown or reach out to the CPAC email.

CPAC is currently accepting applications for new members. Submit your application today!

President: Ebru Dirsel-Duffield, Associate Teaching Professor, American Culture and English Program

The goal of the International Faculty and Staff Association at Miami is to support and connect international faculty and staff while helping each other thrive in their specific roles on campus. This is accomplished through connecting with colleagues from diverse cultural, ethnic, racial, linguistic, and educational backgrounds, and broadening perspectives, welcoming diversity, and experiencing inclusion at Miami. The group also seeks to listen, understand, and identify the needs of international faculty/staff, address the concerns and needs of the university, provide relevant resources as needed, and help international faculty/staff. The main goal of the group is to support one another in professional development at the university.  

Interested individuals can reach out to IFSAM’s president Ebru Dirsel-Duffield.

President: Emily Cluen, Access Coordinator, Miller Center for Student Disability Services

The goal of the Queer and Trans Faculty and Staff Association is to create space for the LGBTQIA community on campus and advocate for queer and trans individuals needs. The group is currently working on establishing and maintaining a larger group to allow for more capacity moving forward. For more details or to join our listserv, email QTFSA@MiamiOH.edu. The group is looking to host more events moving forward to connect with more folks on campus and provide more networking opportunities. Interested individuals can email the group’s email address to connect.

President: Sarah Persinger, Associate Director FBS Technology Operations & Support

The Unclassified Personnel Advisory Committee was created in 1983 to advise the University Administration (specifically the president and vice presidents) on matters of interest and concern to unclassified personnel. Committee members are selected to reflect a balance of gender, race/ethnicity, campus, division, level in the organization, responsibilities, years of university service, and any other characteristics that help to achieve a balance of knowledge, experience, viewpoints, interests and talents. The group’s most recent endeavor was focussing on wellness and bringing back access and funding to wellness areas on campus. Individuals interested in joining are encouraged to attend the monthly virtual meetings, which take place on the second Tuesday of each month. Interested individuals can also connect with Sarah Persinger for more information.

MLK Week Keynote Speaker Anastasia Curwood, Ph.D.

Hallam Professor and Chair in the Department of History

Director, Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies, University of Kentucky

Beginning in 2024, Miami University has shifted to commemorate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day through a week of programming at the beginning of the Spring semester. This change allows for all in the Miami community, including Miami students, to participate in the programming. On January 31, 2024, Miami University hosted its 2024 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. This event was part of the MLK Week of Reflection and Service, a week-long series of events in which students and university units were encouraged to participate in service projects of their choosing and make canned food donations to support Miami community pantries. The keynote event included an art reception featuring the Oxford Chapter of NAACP’s MLK Art Exposition, local K-12 student artwork, along with a keynote address from Dr. Anastasia Curwood titled, “Shirley Chisholm and the Black Freedom Struggle: Protest and Politics after 1968.”

Dr. Curwood is a Hallam Professor and Chair in the Department of History and the Director of the Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies at the University of Kentucky. She earned her undergraduate degree at Bryn Mawr College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in History from Princeton University. As a scholar, Dr. Curwood rewrites the histories of both the Black freedom struggle, and late twentieth-century feminism by blending the study of protest with a focus on electoral politics.

Her keynote address examined the life, legacy, and work of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to be elected to the United States Congress and to run for president from a major political party. Dr. Curwood shared with the audience the significance of Chisholm’s work on racial and gender equity, reproductive rights, and against poverty, emphasizing the links between the progress made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights activists of the time.

When asked about the significance of Chisholm’s work, trajectory, and the relevance of her work today, Dr. Curwood noted, “Shriley Chisholm’s story pulls together everybody. Through the specifics of her life, that she is a Black woman of Caribbean descent from New York City, she reflects all of us. She reflects immigrants, she reflects the working class and poor people, and she reflects what happens when all these historical forces come together in one body. I find her extremely inspiring.” Dr. Curwood continued, stating, “We can also see that Chisholm was a teacher and she taught subsequent generations of political operatives, academics, and elected officials. She also practiced Black feminist power politics, which is having this universal vision of how people can be affected by multiple factors in their lives, and then bringing that to the political realm so that people actually start to hold more power than their disempowered positions. Those are just a few important pieces of her legacy.”

In addition to highlighting the life and legacy of Shirley Chisholm, Dr. Curwood discussed the importance of maintaining humanity in activism. “What I loved about studying Shirley Chisholm was her strategy of coalition. She tried to put groups together that wouldn’t necessarily be seen as automatically going together, but they were greater than the sum of their parts and she understood that even if everybody is not the same, everybody has common interests and you can bring a greater group to bear pressure on systems of power.” Dr. Curwood went on to state, “She was not perfect, she was sort of idiosyncratic. Sometimes she made decisions because of her ambition, and she was also an extraordinary visionary and she stood up for what was right. Through her I understand that you don’t have to be a superhero in order to be a super human.”

In her keynote, Dr. Curwood concluded by emphasizing the importance of continuing to work towards equity and justice. She noted that while great strides have been made, there is still much work to be done. Dr Curwood encouraged audience members to continue to amplify Black voices and continue to cultivate communication pathways, which can lead to further progress. She also encouraged audience members to work together to build more inclusive and welcoming communities, as by coming together true change is possible.

Association of Black Faculty and Staff

The Miami University Association of Black Faculty and Staff (ABFAS) is one of five current affinity groups designed to support employees through community building and resource sharing. These groups strive to create spaces of community, support, and networking for the Miami community through meetings, events, and other engagement opportunities through partnerships with offices, units, and campus stakeholders. 

ABFAS works to increase the sense of belonging and community among Black faculty and staff at Miami University. Seth Seward, current ABFAS President and Assistant Director of Alumni Relations for the Miami University Alumni Association explained that ABFAS is the oldest affinity group on campus, having been founded in the 1970s by then mathematics professor Robert Smith. According to Seward, Smith began the group intending to create a space for Black faculty and staff to connect and serve as a support resource for each other across campus. Additionally, Smith wanted ABFAS to serve as a way to uplift members of the Miami community, serving as a resource for not only faculty and staff, but students as well, along with providing space to come together during challenging times to find resolutions and support.

While ABFAS initially began with a dozen members, today ABFAS maintains 124 members and continues to grow. Seward noted that current ABFAS leadership continues to create community and a sense of belonging for Black faculty and staff. Seward explained, “The Association of Black Faculty and Staff is a group that provides light about what Black faculty and staff are doing and supports inclusive excellence across campus. This is accomplished through our work with our students, our departments, and in our classrooms, helping to promote excellence in those entities and through our work.” 

Seward expanded, noting the significance of partnerships ABFAS has established and the various programs, committees, and initiatives that the group works to service. Seward explained, “Every year we partner with the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI) for a social hour for Black students in the early semester. The Black Student and Staff Mixer is designed to connect students and staff and further promote community building on campus. We also work with CSDI on their Brother 2 Brother initiative which works to provide mentorship to Black men on campus. Many of our members serve as mentors for the initiative and on the advisory board, along with aiding in peer mentoring for the program.” Brother 2 Brother was started two years ago by D. Ellis Rates, the Associate Director for Intercultural Initiatives for the CSDI. This initiative strives to provide mentorship and support for Black male students by pairing them with Black faculty and staff on campus to help increase retention and increase their sense of belonging on campus.

When asked about ABFAS campus involvement, Dr. Darryl Rice, ABFAS Vice President and Associate Professor of Management in the Farmer School of Business noted that ABFAS also works to accomplish its goal of community building and promoting inclusive excellence through the various initiatives and programs the group supports. Dr. Rice stated, “ABFAS leadership works to build a sense of community with our membership through our general body meetings and our programming throughout the year. These programs have previously included getting together for lunch, visiting Top Golf, and outings for dinner and movies that are relevant to our culture, such as The Woman King and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. These gatherings allow our members to feel a sense of belonging and increase their connections with other Black faculty and staff on campus to expand their network and community.”

Seward continued, stating, “In addition to our partnerships with CSDI, ABFAS also works with the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence (TIE) and the different colleges on campus to have conversations about the work taking place to support minority, specifically Black, students at Miami. Our leadership and members are always working to be connected and support students and employees alike on campus.” According to Dr. Rice, ABFAS works to support and further inclusive excellence at Miami through, “service on campus committees and through our members’ scholarship, research, and presence. Many of our members serve on DEI committees in their departments, colleges, or for the university at large. Additionally, our members’ scholarship and research work to address and promote DEI on campus and further inclusive excellence at Miami by providing pathways and opportunities for others to learn and implement DEI practices into their classrooms, professional spaces, and daily lives.” 

Seward concluded the interview by stating, “ABFAS is always an entity to aid inclusive excellence on campus and we will always be here to participate in those conversations. Our members continue to work to be present and make the university what it is and should be.” Faculty and staff that are interested in joining the Association of Black Faculty and Staff are encouraged to connect with President Seth Seward, Vice President Dr. Darryl Rice, or attend an upcoming general body meeting. 

Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program

Recently, Miami University’s Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program faculty members Dr. Kenna Neitch and Dr. Madelyn Detloff along with colleague Dr. Jennifer Cohen, were awarded a $100,000 Mellon Grant for their project, "Affirming Multivocal Humanities: Program Development for the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies." The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation was established in 1969 as a means to, “strengthen, promote, and defend the arts and humanities as essential to democratic societies.” Since its founding, the Mellon Foundation has awarded over nineteen thousand grants to support the furtherment and development of the arts and humanities. 

Dr. Neitch and Dr. Detloff are two core faculty members appointed in  the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality (WGS) Program, which is a part of the Department of Global and Intercultural Studies. The WGS program is an interdisciplinary program that “investigates how our lives are affected by gender, race, class, age, sexuality, religion, (dis)ability, gender identity, and nationality.” This investigation is accomplished through the offering of a WGS major, minor, and graduate certificate. Dr. Neitch noted that course discussion topics can include, “women of color activism, feminist theory, queer communities, and how to use communication skills to advocate for social change.” These topics work to further inclusive excellence at Miami by encouraging students to examine the world around them through multiple perspectives.

In addition to their interdisciplinary approach toward content, Dr. Detloff noted  that faculty members in WGS work to create classroom spaces that are welcoming  for all students. According to Dr. Detloff, this is accomplished through, “structuring our courses with accessibility in mind, integrating universal design into our work, and being open to learning and growing from one another as we work to create inclusive spaces where students can feel a sense of belonging.” 

The recently awarded Mellon Grant will work to fund a collaborative 3-year long program to revitalize and strengthen the WGS curriculum, community outreach efforts, and faculty development.  According to Dr. Detloff, this project was designed to further support  the work already taking place in the WGS program. Dr. Detloff explained that the grant was applied for through a collaborative effort by members of the department, led by GIC Chair, Dr. Walt Vanderbush.  The grant  “provides the program with the opportunity to further their efforts on intersectional curriculum, mentoring, research, and scholarship. These opportunities will further space on campus to make our community more inclusive and belonging for everyone. The award of the Mellon Grant is an incredible opportunity for us to expand and reinvigorate our program and initiatives.”

Dr. Neitch elaborated, noting, “Through the Mellon Grant, we have an opportunity to revitalize our curriculum, grow cross-divisional collaborations and initiatives, and expand our community engagement and program visibility. In this coming year, we’ll be launching an ongoing program for Intersectional WGS Teaching, Research, and Mentoring. The program will invest in faculty working groups with training and seminars, where we will collectively articulate the future of the WGS program, scholarship, and curriculum based on our commitment to inclusion. Additionally, through the grant, we’re working to establish an undergraduate research award and to re-launch the Race, Class, Gender, Sexuality Symposium at Miami.”

As faculty members work to integrate these developmental plans, students are encouraged to follow along with their progress on the Global and Intercultural Studies Instagram. Additionally, students are encouraged to enroll in upcoming WGS course offerings and become part of the community during this exciting phase in the WGS program’s evolution.

Elise Radina, Ph.D.

Associate Dean for the Graduate School

Cross-Cultural Mentorship Program

Miami University has a thriving graduate school that offers students the chance to continue their education and further their development as professionals and global citizens. One unique aspect of the Miami University Graduate School is the Cross-Cultural Mentorship Program. This program, led by Associate Dean for the Graduate School Elise Radina, is a pathway for students to connect with the resources needed for success and provide students the opportunity to build their network so they can continue to thrive during and after their time in the Graduate School.

Dr. Elise Radina is one of two Associate Deans for the Graduate School. She has been at Miami for the past 18 years and in that time she has had a variety of roles including former Associate Dean of Education, Health, and Society, and former Department Chair and faculty member for the Department of Family Science and Social Work. Dr. Radina is a member of the Academic Leadership Council for the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence and on the steering committee for the Women’s and Gender Studies Program. 

In her daily work, Dr. Radina strives to incorporate inclusive excellence into every aspect of her role. In so doing, she role models inclusive excellence by treating everyone around her with empathy and compassion and accepting individuals as their authentic selves. According to Dr. Radina, this includes approaching all spaces with “the willingness to learn and recognizing that we work in an ever-changing space that requires us to view things from different perspectives.” She works to bring forth new perspectives in the various campus collaborations she is a part of, working with others to ensure graduate students of all backgrounds are considered when making decisions for the Graduate School.

In addition to her collaborative work across campus, Dr. Radina currently leads the Cross-Cultural Mentorship Program within the Graduate School. Dr. Radina explained that this program, “allows for graduate students to connect with faculty and staff from different areas of the university and provides the students opportunities to engage in diversity, equity, and inclusion work in the graduate school and across campus.” Moving forward, students who are selected as Graduate Inclusive Excellence Scholars will be included in this program.  Dr. Radina explained, “We’ve recently reenvisioned the Graduate Inclusive Excellence Scholars and part of what we are working to accomplish beginning in the 2024-25 academic year is to make this scholarship something students know they have received and can understand the honor associated with it. We’re striving for it to have more of the association of an honors society where students can have opportunities to grow and develop, rather than an honor that students aren’t aware they are receiving.”

The mentorship program was established in 2018 as a way for doctoral students to receive additional mentorship and support outside of their home department. When Dr. Radina inherited the program in 2022, the mentorship program, which had been previously reserved for doctoral students, expanded to include master's students. The program involves pairing graduate students with a faculty or staff member to form mentoring pairs. The aim is for the two to provide mutual support and learning. The program provides mentoring pairs with funding to cover a meal, coffee meetings, or attendance together at an effect. When asked about the goals of the mentorship program, Dr. Radina noted that her goal is to, “create a sense of community among those scholars for mutual peer support while they are here. Finding your people is so important and I want this to be an engaging experience for the scholars and provide them with the opportunity to find their people here.”

The Cross-Cultural Mentorship Program currently has 25 mentoring pairs and is working to build pathways for the next cohort of students so that everyone in the program can have a partner. Mentoring pairs are placed together at the beginning of the academic year and are given the opportunity to connect with one another as often as they see fit to allow for the pair to learn and grow from one another at their own pace. At the beginning of the partnership, a mentoring agreement is established to outline expectations of the partnership, frequency of meetings, and goals. The mentoring pairs are able to meet individually, as well as attend various social opportunities from the program to further connect with each other and other scholars. 

At midterm, a mid-year evaluation is conducted to track the progress of the mentoring pair and determine whether or not the pair would like to continue the partnership in the spring, or switch and be with new partners. Dr. Radina noted that, “half to two-thirds of the pairs stay with their original partner. I think having a formal check-in at the halfway point is important because sometimes two people can be great individuals but their personalities or working styles may not mesh. The partnerships allow for both members of the pair to grow and develop not only professionally, but personally as well. I particularly remember having a scholar I was paired with and we would discuss things like how to buy your first home and the process of all of that. It can be a nice reminder that there is a lot more to all of us than just what is shown in the classroom setting.”

As the Cross-Cultural Mentorship Program continues to grow and evolve, Dr. Radina is excited to add more depth to the program and to provide participants with more opportunities for development. Dr. Radina stated, “As we move toward the launch of the new Graduate Inclusive Excellence Scholars program, there is certainly the opportunity to expand and I would like to see the mentoring program have more structure to provide even further depth for the mentoring pairs to learn and grow. I would love to add some training about mentoring and provide ways for people to review the principles of mentoring and apply them to their partnerships. I’m excited to see the continued growth and interest scholars have held in being a part of this program.”

Dr. Radina encourages faculty and staff interested in participating in the Cross-Cultural Mentorship Program to reach out to her directly. Graduate students that are interested in becoming more connected with the program are encouraged to connect with the Graduate School's social media platforms and join one (or more) of the Graduate Student Organizations. Dr. Radina also encourages individuals to subscribe to the Graduate School Monthly Newsletter, as it provides key information for graduate students.

My Sister’s Keeper

Miami University faculty and staff strive to create and support environments for students to thrive. These efforts work to engage students beyond their academic studies, encouraging development in their personal and professional lives to provide holistic support systems during and beyond their Miami careers. One current support network designed to address the needs of young women of color on campus is My Sister’s Keeper (MSK).

My Sister’s Keeper was founded in August of 2022 by Adelaide Johnson-Ghartey, Assistant Director of Intercultural Initiatives and Gender Equity for the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI). My Sister’s Keeper is one of two current initiatives run through the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion that offers support and mentorship, along with personal and professional development for students of color on campus. Both My Sister’s Keeper and Brother 2 Brother function to provide spaces for young men and women of color on campus to find support systems, build friendships, and further their understanding of themselves and their identities.

Johnson-Ghartey explained that she created My Sister’s Keeper as a means of, “creating a space where women of color on campus could be free to be authentically themselves, rather than having to conform to the expectations and pressures of those around them. I wanted to have a program that allowed our office to work to address the needs and issues that women of color across campus were struggling with.”  My Sister’s Keeper has three main efforts that currently service students: programming, mentoring, and mental health support. Each of these efforts are intentionally designed to serve as a space for women to come together and support each other while developing the skills necessary to further themselves both personally and professionally. Programming and initiatives are conducted in partnership with campus units and groups like the Student Counseling Service and the Association for Black Faculty and Staff (ABFAS) to provide holistic support, resources, and mentorship opportunities to students.

One example of these partnerships in action is the Sister Circles. The Sister Circles were initially created in partnership with ABFAS as a means for students to connect with campus leaders and alumni who could provide insight based on their own experiences on campus and further the development of the young women in My Sister’s Keeper. Johnson-Ghartey noted that the Sister Circles, “provide a space for us to pour into one another as we have been poured into by others. These circles allow women the space to uplift one another and hold each other accountable for their shared goals and development.” The Sister Circles are just one example of the type of programming offered by My Sister’s Keeper and demonstrates the intentionality toward building a community of support that can follow students long after they leave the Miami campus.

Student experiences with My Sister’s Keeper have overall been positive and many students who have previously participated in the initiative are looking forward to continuing in the spring semester. Nyah Smith, current student body president, is a member of My Sister’s Keeper and shared insight about her experience with the initiative, stating, “I have been involved with MSK for the past two years since Adelaide began the initiative. My favorite events have been our game nights when we go to support the Miami Women’s Basketball team together. Along with our open conversation events such as the State of the Sisterhood. Through MSK, I have gained a space where I can be fully and authentically myself amongst my community. MSK has been such a safe space for me and a way to connect with women of color on a deeper and more intimate level. So many of us are busy and always going to the next thing but MSK feels like a much-needed pause and connection point. Overall, I have truly grown personally, professionally, and in my relationships through MSK.”

Smith went on to encourage interested women of color to join My Sister’s Keeper, noting, “Representation and being amongst your community is crucial. In my first two years at Miami, I isolated myself and didn’t fully lean on those around me. Yet, MSK is a reminder that we don’t have to do it alone and that we have a village of women of color here at Miami, even when that is hard to see. It is also a reminder that we have Adelaide who has truly gone above and beyond regarding seeing the needs of our community and meeting them. For example, our women of color support group in partnership with counseling services that she recently added on as a layer to the initiative. MSK is just getting started and there’s so much to look forward to.”

This spring, Johnson-Ghartey has a lot of exciting opportunities in the works for the women involved in My Sister’s Keeper. On March 1st, My Sister’s Keeper will be taking a group on a sponsored trip to the University of Cincinnati’s Black Feminist Symposium. The Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion and The Office of Student Wellness staff will attend the symposium and welcome up to 20 undergraduate students to attend with them. Students interested in attending are encouraged to complete the interest form by Friday, February 16th.

In addition to the Black Feminist Symposium, My Sister’s Keeper will be having their annual retreat later this spring. This retreat will take place on March 2nd, and interested students are encouraged to confirm their participation by Monday, February 26th. This retreat will take place at the Oxford Community Art Center and is designed to provide participants with a space to take an intentional pause from their hectic schedules and focus on self-care. Students interested in joining the retreat or My Sister’s Keeper as a whole are encouraged to complete the interest form and follow the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion on Instagram for future updates.

Amanda Alexander, Professor and Chair for the Department of Art. College of Arts and Science. 

Sharma, Manisha, and Amanda Alexander. The Routledge Companion to Decolonizing Art, Craft, and Visual Culture Education. Routledge, 2023. 

Jennifer Blue, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Dean, Department of Physics.

Barthelemy, R. S., Traxler, A. L., Blue, J., and Swirtz, M., “Research on gender, intersectionality, and LGBTQ+ persons in physics education research,” in The International Handbook of Physics Education Research: Special Topics, edited by M. F. Taşar and P. R. L. Heron (AIP Publishing, Melville, New York, 2023), pp. 3-1–3-16.

Hillel Gray, Ph.D., Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Comparative Religion.

Hillel Gray. "Strategic Discretion: Game Theory Models for Interactions of Transgender Jews and Their Orthodox Rabbis," in Jewish Culture and Creativity: Essays in Honor of Professor Michael Fishbane. Boston: Academic Studies Press. 2023

John M. Jeep, Ph.D., Professor of German and Linguistics Affiliate, Department of German, Russian, Asian, and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.

Karen Blough (ed.), A Companion to the Abbey of Quedlinburg in the Middle Ages, Brill's Companions to European History 29. Leiden und Boston: Brill, 2023, accepted for Medieavistik (Aug. 2023)

Emily Legg, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Writing and Director of Professional Writing, Department of English.

Legg, Emily. “Stories of Our Living Ephemera.” University Press of Colorado, University Press of Colorado, 23 Jan. 2024, upcolorado.com/utah-state-university-press/item/6476-stories-of-our-living-ephemera. 

Darryl B. Rice, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Management, Department of Management.

Rice, D. B., Prosper, P, & Scott, C.* (2023). Leading with DEI on my mind: Examining the interactive effects of supervisor perceptions of psychological diversity climate and supervisor characteristics on leadership style. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 30(2), 239-258.

Zhe “Jay” Shan, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Rose-Marie Anderson Chair, Farmer School of Business.

Mai, Feng, et al. “The Impact of Accelerated Digitization on Patient Portal Use by Underprivileged Racial Minority Groups during COVID-19: Longitudinal Study.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, JMIR Publications Inc., Toronto, Canada, www.jmir.org/2023/1/e44981. Accessed 9 Feb. 2024. 

Michele Simmons, Ph.D., Professor, Department of English, and Affiliate, Institute for the Environment and Sustainability, Emerging Technology in Business & Design, College of Arts and Science.

Moore, Kristen R., et al. “Equity and Inclusion as Workplace Practices: A Four-Step Process for Moving to Action.” Latest TOC RSS, Society for Technical Communication, 1 Aug. 2023, doi.org/10.55177/tc710097.

Zara Torlone, Ph.D., Professor and Havighurst Center for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies Core Faculty, Department of French, Italian, and Classical Studies.

Translation from Russian of the story “Hunger” by Narine Abgaryan, Russian-Armenian writer. Literary Journal PLOUGH, Issue "Repair", Winter 2024/No. 38. Pp. 106-112.

Leah Wasburn-Moses, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Educational Psychology.

Wasburn-Moses, L., & Rumford, L. (2023). “Becoming the best versions of ourselves”: Supporting foster youth in transition to adult life. Journal of Foster Care, 4(1). https://jfc-ojs-ttu.tdl.org/jfc/article/view/40 

We welcome your submissions and invite individuals to share publications from the past year to be highlighted in this section. To submit a recent publication, please visit our website and complete our submission form. 

2024 Inspiring Program in Business Award

The Miami University Farmer School of Business has been named a recipient of the Insight Into Diversity magazine 2024 Inspiring Programs in Business Award. This award honors business schools that encourage and support outstanding programs that encourage, support, and give opportunities to underrepresented students interested in pursuing a career in business. Congratulations to the Farmer School of Business on this great accomplishment! 

2024 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity Award

Miami University Libraries has been named a recipient of the inaugural Insight Into Diversity magazine 2024 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award. The LEAD Award honors academic library programs, policies, and initiatives that encourage and support DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) across their campus and surrounding community. These include, but are not limited to research, technology, accessibility, exhibitions, and community outreach. Congratulations to Libraries on this great accomplishment!

Student Climate Interviews

You are invited to participate in a research project being conducted by the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence (TIE). The purpose of this research is to understand the experiences of students as it relates to the campus climate both inside and outside of the classroom. We also want to identify additional programs, initiatives, and resources to support Miami students.

If you have any questions about the survey, please feel free to reach out to Cristina Alcalde (she, her, hers), Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion at vpDiversity@miamioh.edu who is the Principal Investigator for the study. 

Sign-up for your interview today!

Employee Stay Interviews

You are invited to participate in a research project being conducted by the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence (TIE). The purpose of this research is to learn specific actions Miami University can take to strengthen the retention and overall climate for employees. We also want to identify strategies and resources needed to support Miami employees’ professional goals.

If you have any questions about the survey, please feel free to reach out to Cristina Alcalde (she, her, hers), Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion at vpDiversity@miamioh.edu who is the Principal Investigator for the study. 

Sign-up for your interview today!

Pilot Initiative: Affinity Group Luncheons

In an effort to more fully embed inclusive excellence and to support community-building, communication, and networking between Faculty and Staff Affinity Groups and university leadership, the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence (TIE) has launched this new initiative.  Throughout the 2023-2024 academic year, there will be various luncheons hosted with various divisions and affinity groups.  To help increase the visibility of the upcoming luncheons, we would like to invite affinity group members to the following sessions:

Intercollegiate Athletics and QTFSA Luncheon - RSVP by Monday, Feb. 12th 

Friday, Feb. 16th | 11:00 to 12:30 pm | Marcum Hotel and Conference Center, Room 158

College of Creative Arts and ABFAS Luncheon - RSVP by Monday, Feb. 26th 

Wednesday, Mar. 6th | 12 pm to 1:30 pm | Center for Performing Arts, Room 144

Advancement and ALFAS Luncheon - RSVP by Tuesday, Apr. 9th 

Wednesday, Apr. 17th | 12 pm to 2 pm | Shriver Center, Bystrom Room

Student Life and QTFSA Luncheon - RSVP by Friday, Apr. 12th 

Thursday, Apr. 18th | 11 am to 12:30 pm | Armstrong Student Center, 2080

UCM and AAA-FSA - RSVP by Monday, Apr. 15th 

Tuesday, Apr. 23th | 12 pm to 1:30 pm | Shriver Center, Bystrom Room

We thank all of our divisions for their commitment and investment to inclusive excellence, as partners in this initiative and look forward to sharing our future sessions. 

Disabled Faculty and Staff Association: Interest Meeting

Friday, March 15th

Shiver Center, Dolibois C

2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The goal of the Disabled Faculty and Staff Association is to bring employees with disabilities together to build community and support each other. Join us for our interest meeting to learn more about our goals and how you can become involved!

ISSS Bus Trip: The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

On Sunday, February 18, ISSS will be offering a trip to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Downtown Cincinnati. The cost is $5 per person and the trip is open to all students! The bus will depart from campus at 11 a.m. and return to campus at 5 p.m.

For more information, contact international@miamioh.edu. Regsiter online today!

Making The Invisible Visible: Celebrating Black Faith Traditions

Thursday, Feb. 22, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Zoom Webinar

Join a dialogue about the diversity of faith traditions in the Black faith traditions. Faith leaders will discuss how they make the invisible visible through remembering and acknowledging historical and cultural traditions, spiritual diversity, empowerment and resilience.

To learn more about TIE’s upcoming events and connect with future programming, please visit our University Events Calendar Page.

Asian American Association Fusion

Saturday, February 24, 3 - 5 p.m.

Hall Auditorium

Fusion is the Asian American Association's annual dance show and AAA's biggest event. It is a display of music and culture from various Asian countries. Dances range from traditional to modern to a combination of the two. Fusion is a showcase of diversity and cultural performances. The show is composed of a blend of various forms of modern and traditional dances and music. The purpose of this showcase is to celebrate Asian cultures while educating the public about the uniqueness of Asian culture to the public. We collaborate with other cultural student organizations on campus that have similar purposes and talents. Come and check out what we have to offer!!

Get your tickets today!

Civil Rights Film Festival

Join us in Peabody Hall to learn more about the history and significance of the Civil Rights Movement and Freedom Summer '64!

Sunday, 2/11 7:00

Kick-off with Wil Haygood, President Crawford, and Dr. Cristina Alcalde

Film:  Mississippi Burning

Monday, 2/12 7:00

Film: Till (Dr. Ron Scott)

Tuesday, 2/13 7:00

Film: Selma (Dr. Rodney Coates)

Wednesday, 2/14  7:00

Film: The Butler (with Wil Haygood)

Thursday, 2/15 7:00

Film:  Training for Freedom

Introduced by Wil Haygood and Rick Momeyer. Documentary produced by the Department of Media, Journalism, & Film.

The Civil Rights Film Festival was created to honor and share the story of the important phase of the modern U.S. Civil Rights Movement that took place at Miami University.

Each evening will begin with an introduction of the film and its connection to the civil rights movement. Following the screening of the film, the person introducing it also will lead an audience discussion about the viewing. All events in Leonard Theatre in Peabody Hall on the Western Campus, where many of the volunteers for Freedom Summer were trained.

Sponsored by the Department of Media, Journalism, & Film, and the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence

Moving Forward a More Inclusive STEM Field: Women’s Voices and Perspectives at Miami

Tues, Mar. 19 

4:30 - 6 pm

ASC 1080 

Join us as our panelists discuss their transformative journey’s as women in the STEM field. They will discuss their research, teaching, and contributions to the field and broader society.  Panelists will also share personal and professional challenges along their career trajectory. Light refreshments will be available. 

Faculty Mentor Workshop

Wednesday, Apr. 3

4:30 - 6:30 pm

Shriver, Dolibois C

Calling all tenured faculty! We invite you to a workshop to provide you with tools and resources to mentor tenure-track faculty at Miami. Join us for light refreshments, conversation and conviviality and information about how you can get involved - RSVP today! For more information or to address any questions about this initiative, contact Haifei Shi (shih@miamioh.edu). 

Are you What You Eat? Food, Race and Racism in Asian America

Thursday, April 18th 

4 - 5 pm

Bachelor Reading Room, 337

How often do we hear that we are what we eat? And also that Asian foods like boba, ramen and momos are all the rage? But how does what we eat align with how we experience life as racialized subjects in America? In this workshop, Anita Mannur leads us in a session as we talk--and WRITE--about food, culture, and race. Connect with other creatives and think about what our food cultures say about us, the ways we belong and don't belong. Light refreshments will be provided at the event.

Amanda Alexander, Professor and Chair for the Department of Art. College of Arts and Science. 

Sharma, Manisha, and Amanda Alexander. The Routledge Companion to Decolonizing Art, Craft, and Visual Culture Education. Routledge, 2023. 

Jennifer Blue, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Dean, Department of Physics.

Barthelemy, R. S., Traxler, A. L., Blue, J., and Swirtz, M., “Research on gender, intersectionality, and LGBTQ+ persons in physics education research,” in The International Handbook of Physics Education Research: Special Topics, edited by M. F. Taşar and P. R. L. Heron (AIP Publishing, Melville, New York, 2023), pp. 3-1–3-16.

Hillel Gray, Ph.D., Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Comparative Religion.

Hillel Gray. "Strategic Discretion: Game Theory Models for Interactions of Transgender Jews and Their Orthodox Rabbis," in Jewish Culture and Creativity: Essays in Honor of Professor Michael Fishbane. Boston: Academic Studies Press. 2023

John M. Jeep, Ph.D., Professor of German and Linguistics Affiliate, Department of German, Russian, Asian, and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.

Karen Blough (ed.), A Companion to the Abbey of Quedlinburg in the Middle Ages, Brill's Companions to European History 29. Leiden und Boston: Brill, 2023, accepted for Medieavistik (Aug. 2023)

Emily Legg, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Writing and Director of Professional Writing, Department of English.

Legg, Emily. “Stories of Our Living Ephemera.” University Press of Colorado, University Press of Colorado, 23 Jan. 2024, upcolorado.com/utah-state-university-press/item/6476-stories-of-our-living-ephemera. 

Darryl B. Rice, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Management, Department of Management.

Rice, D. B., Prosper, P, & Scott, C.* (2023). Leading with DEI on my mind: Examining the interactive effects of supervisor perceptions of psychological diversity climate and supervisor characteristics on leadership style. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 30(2), 239-258.

Zhe “Jay” Shan, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Rose-Marie Anderson Chair, Farmer School of Business.

Mai, Feng, et al. “The Impact of Accelerated Digitization on Patient Portal Use by Underprivileged Racial Minority Groups during COVID-19: Longitudinal Study.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, JMIR Publications Inc., Toronto, Canada, www.jmir.org/2023/1/e44981. Accessed 9 Feb. 2024. 

Michele Simmons, Ph.D., Professor, Department of English, and Affiliate, Institute for the Environment and Sustainability, Emerging Technology in Business & Design, College of Arts and Science.

Moore, Kristen R., et al. “Equity and Inclusion as Workplace Practices: A Four-Step Process for Moving to Action.” Latest TOC RSS, Society for Technical Communication, 1 Aug. 2023, doi.org/10.55177/tc710097.

Zara Torlone, Ph.D., Professor and Havighurst Center for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies Core Faculty, Department of French, Italian, and Classical Studies.

Translation from Russian of the story “Hunger” by Narine Abgaryan, Russian-Armenian writer. Literary Journal PLOUGH, Issue "Repair", Winter 2024/No. 38. Pp. 106-112.

Leah Wasburn-Moses, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Educational Psychology.

Wasburn-Moses, L., & Rumford, L. (2023). “Becoming the best versions of ourselves”: Supporting foster youth in transition to adult life. Journal of Foster Care, 4(1). https://jfc-ojs-ttu.tdl.org/jfc/article/view/40 

We welcome your submissions and invite individuals to share publications from the past year to be highlighted in this section. To submit a recent publication, please visit our website and complete our submission form. 

Racial Equity Workshop 

Wednesday, Feb. 21, Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Shriver Center, Bystrom Room 

Racial equity work requires sustained, proactive education and engagement as well as systemic, intentional efforts at micro- and macro-levels. We will learn about our responsibilities in racial equity and how to prevent racism. We will discuss how to identify racist behaviors both in ourselves and in others and how to counter and dismantle such behaviors. The workshop will also provide tools and strategies for having conversations around racism and how to prevent, stop, and unlearn racial prejudices. This workshop can be tailored for individual departments or student organizations. Request workshop for your department/unit or student group. Interested employees are encouraged to register their attendance.

Redhawks Equity Leadership Series (RELS) 

Be empowered! Be inspired to make transformative change. Complete a Redhawk Equity Leadership Series Certificate through our online sessions:

• A Road to Active Allyship
• Inclusive Marketing
• Introduction to Microaggressions
• Leading with Racial Equity
• Pronouns 101

Redhawk Equity Leadership Series (RELS), is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is a FREE cultural competency certificate for students which is completely online and asynchronous. Sign-up today to be a part of the spring cohort!

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Certificate 

Join our online Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion course and learn how to be an active ally, inclusive leader, and effective mediator. Extend your individual experiences and knowledge with research-based tools and strategies to thrive as an advocate for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive world. 

The DEI Leadership Certificate utilizes five foundational modules: (1) Bias, Stereotypes, and Microaggressions, (2) Race and Anti-Racism, (3) LGBTQ+ Identities, (4) Ableism and Inclusion, 5) Allyship and Advocacy. 

Current registrants have until June 30th to complete their certificate modules. For more information, please visit DEI in Leadership Certificate.

As we enter the spring season, the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence (TIE) encourages all Miami community members to consult the full list of Religious Observances and Inclusive Scheduling dates on our website. To assist with planning, below we highlight a few key religious holidays and observances for the upcoming winter season, including a description of the holiday, best practices, and customary greetings. Please note that these are not all of the holidays that are taking place, nor is this a fully inclusive list. 

March 11*-April 9 - Ramadan (Islam) 

• Description: Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. It is widely considered the month in which the Qur’an was first revealed. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the “five pillars” of Islam. Practicing Muslims who are able to do so are expected to fast from sunrise to sunset every day of the month. This means no food, and no water during that time. At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate one of their major holidays called Eid al-Fitr (April 21-22*) or the “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.” 
• Best Practices:  Please consider the practice of fasting and focus of the month when scheduling any events, “lunch meetings,” or scheduling lengthy presentations. Not all Muslims will fast or take time off, but they may still observe in various ways.
• Customary Greetings: "Ramadan Mubarak" (MOO-bah-ROK) or "Happy Ramadan"

March 24* - Purim (Judaism) 

• Description: Purim celebrates the survival of Jewish people who were marked for death by Persian rulers. It celebrates how they were saved by Esther.  Many celebrate Purim by retelling the story of Purim, attending feasts, and going to carnivals. The day prior to Purim is a fasting day from sunrise to sunset. This means no food, and no water during that time. 
• Best Practices:  Please consider the practice of fasting when scheduling any events, “lunch meetings,” or scheduling lengthy presentations. Not all will fast or take time off, but they may still observe in various ways.
• Customary Greetings: “Happy Purim” or "Chag Sameach" (Khahg sa-MAY-ach) 

March 29 - Good Friday (Christian) 

• Description: Good Friday commemorates the day that Jesus was crucified and died. It is considered a day of mourning, and is a part of holy week. Even though it is a sad day, it is called Good Friday because it led to the victory over death and sin. Many services are held around midday which is the same hours that Jesus was hung on the cross. Good Friday is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. 
• Best Practices:  Please consider the practice of fasting when scheduling any events, “lunch meetings,” or scheduling lengthy presentations. Not all Christians will fast or take time off, but they may still observe in various ways.
• Customary Greetings: There is no traditional greeting for this day, as it is a somber holiday typically associated with reflection and mourning.

March 31 - Easter (Christian) 

• Description: Easter celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Three days after his crucifixion, he resurrected. For many Christians, Easter is positive because it is the end of the Lent season of fasting and penitence. Christians worldwide attend an Easter mass with special services, music, flowers, and ringing of church bells. The Easter Eggs symbolize rebirth and fertility. In countries around the world, people hold Easter egg hunts, egg decorating events, or just giving them as gifts. Traditional Catholics sometimes continue the Good Friday fast until the Easter Vigil.
• Best Practices:  Please consider the practice of fasting when scheduling any events, “lunch meetings,” or scheduling lengthy presentations. Not all Christians will fast or take time off, but they may still observe in various ways.
• Customary Greetings: “Happy Easter” or “Christ is Risen” with the reply “He is Risen Indeed”

April 22*-30 - Passover (Judaism) 

• Description: Passover celebrates the Biblical story of Exodus, when the Israelites were freed from their slavery in Egypt. Passover is "prescribed" in the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament. Passover is celebrated with a big ceremony. On the first night, a special family meal called seder is held. The seder foods symbolize the Jewish liberation. People also recite traditional prayers. During Passover, Jews eat unleavened bread for seven days. On the first and last night of Passover, people may want to take off work. They are considered sacred occasions when one is not to work at their occupations. Festive meals take place during the holiday.
• Best Practices:  Please consider the celebrations of Passover when scheduling any events or scheduling lengthy presentations. Not all practicing Jews will take time off, but they may still observe in various ways.
• Customary Greetings: “Happy Passover” or “Chag Sameach” (Chahg Sa-MAY-Ach)

Note: “*” denotes holidays that start sundown the day before. Please note that individual practices may vary. 

We also encourage the use of our Religious Observances and Inclusive Scheduling calendar to provide guidance and help avoid scheduling important events, activities, and deadlines on holidays observed by members of the Miami community. Should you or a member of your team have any questions or concerns on how to best utilize this information or on appropriate accommodations, please contact the Office of Transformational and Inclusive Excellence or the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity.