Diversity Committee
The Diversity Committee is a group of people engaged in critical conversations about multicultural issues within ourselves, within the group, and in the community around us. Our mission is to equip individuals for educating, mentoring, serving, and actively engaging in opportunities that challenge stereotyped beliefs, reduce ignorance, and create an atmosphere of openness, curiosity, inspiration, responsibility and concern for others.
The Diversity Committee was formed out of a need to engage University of Memphis graduate students in active dialogue on diversity issues. It has been many things over the years including a space for students to examine their own views, biases, and assumptions with support from peers, as well as a resource within the department to spearhead multicultural activities. The Diversity Committee aims to illuminate multiculturalism through explicit conversation within the campus community and active service to the community. Through our mission we also hope to be an integral catalyst for the training of internationally competent professionals steeped in the knowledge of social justice issues.
The Diversity Committee is housed in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research. Membership is open to any University of Memphis graduate student who is committed to the mission stated above regardless of their educational department. Please feel free to join us at a meeting or contact the committee officers for more information!
Connect with us!
- Committee Email: UofMDiversity@gmail.com
- Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheDiversityCommittee
Upcoming Events
Calendar
Mid-South Pride – Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018
Contact Mae-Lynn Germany
"Coco" film at the Levitt Shell – Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018
Contact Rita Jorgensen
Dia De Los Muertos Celebration and Parade – Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018
Contact Paige Dixon
St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend (Volunteer or Running) – Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018
Contact Danielle Ivy
More Events Will be planned throughout the Semester – Keep Your Eyes out for Emails!!
2018-2019 Diversity Committee Officers:
Mae-Lynn Germany, President
Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student
mlgerman@memphis.edu
Jennifer Yeoward, Vice President
Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student
jyeoward@memphis.edu
Emily El-Oqlah, Secretary
Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student
aeloglah@memphis.edu
Whitney Shuman, Treasurer
Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student
washuman@memphis.edu
Danielle Sample, First Year CPSY Representative
Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student
D.Sample@memphis.edu
Danielle Ivy, School Counseling Representative
School Counseling Graduate Student
dlivy@memphis.edu
Paige Dixon, Counseling Master's Student Representative
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Graduate Student
pdixon4@memphis.edu
Michelle *Meshy* Howard, Psychology Representative
School Psychology Graduate Student
mwires@memphis.edu
Rita Jorgensen, Web Coordinator
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Graduate Student
mkjrgnsn@memphis.edu
Erica Magsam, Event Coordinator
Counseling Psychology Doctoral Student
elmagsam@memphis.edu
Dr. Laura Reid Marks, Faculty Adviser
LRMarks@memphis.edu
Previous events include:
- St. Jude Marathon Volunteers: Spirit stations
- Volunteers for the Refugee Empowerment Program (REP)
- Volunteers for "Memphis Empty Bowls," an effort to support the Memphis Food Bank and other organizations that provide food to the 1 in every 5 Memphians who go hungry every day. The event raised $18,000 and the Diversity Committee received special recognition for our participation!
- Presentation on diversity and disability to the Fresh Connections Learning Community, It's A World of Difference, composed of first-time full-time University of Memphis students. Utilizing both a lecture format and experiential exercises, students were allowed to dialogue about people-first language and how to move past perceived obstacles to a better understanding of people with mental, emotional, and physical disabilities.
- Campus-wide screenings and discussions of documentaries including "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide" and "The Hunting Ground"
- Yearly attendance at the Mid-South Pride Festival
Prospective members can email Mae-Lynn Germany (mlgerman@memphis.edu), look at our Diversity Committee Facebook page, or look for the Diversity Committee emails that come out over the CEPR listserv for more information.