6 minute read
Diversity Dawgs
Diversity Dawgs
By Emily Daniels
“Strength lies in differences, not similarities.” – Stephen Covey
At Mississippi State University’s College of Business, we recognize the importance of fostering a sense of community that is welcoming to and respectful of all individuals – students, faculty and staff. Likewise, it is our duty to prepare our future business leaders for careers in an international and increasingly diverse workforce.
This year, the College of Business introduced the Inclusion & Diversity Fellows Program, providing business students the opportunity to earn a Certificate in Inclusion and Diversity for their participation in a prescribed number of hours through events, presentations, organizations, projects and courses that are selected for their focus on various topics that emphasize the importance of inclusion and diversity in the workplace.
More commonly known as Diversity Dawgs, the program was founded by Dr. Mike Breazeale, Associate Professor of Marketing and Inclusion and Diversity Officer at Mississippi State. Breazeale explains how the program came to fruition.
“It really started in a conversation that Dean [Sharon] Oswald and I had with a few of our Executive Advisory Board members who work for corporate companies in big cities away from the South,” he explains. “We asked if they had any suggestions on how we could better prepare our students for issues they would encounter related to inclusion and diversity in the business world. One of the things that surprised us was that a lot of them shared the struggles they had in proving to their employers and colleagues that coming from the South does not and should not automatically mean that you are racist or intolerant of others. We knew right then and there that we needed a program in place for our students to redefine the expectations that the world has of business students from the South.”
After getting positive feedback from Assistant Vice President of Multicultural Affairs & Director of Holmes Cultural Diversity Center Ra’Sheda Forbes, as well as other leaders on campus, Diversity Dawgs was born in the College of Business.
So, what are the requirements to be considered a “Diversity Dawg?”
Right now, the program is open to business majors currently enrolled full-time and in good academic standing at MSU. It is preferable for students to join the first semester of their junior years, but anyone who has at least four semesters remaining prior to graduation can participate.
Breazeale emphasizes that Diversity Dawgs is not exclusively based on ethnicity and gender; that would contradict the very purpose of the program.
Image by Hugo Garcia
“The point is to include everyone,” he says. “This could be first-generation students, military personnel, international students, parents who return for their education, the LGBTQ community or people with different abilities or special needs, so our definition of ‘diverse’ is much broader, I think, than what many institutions use.
During each of the four semesters in the program, Diversity Dawgs must commit to participate in at least 20 hours of approved activities that introduce them to the diverse cultures that make up the Mississippi State University community. Once the third semester of the program begins, students must choose a project that relates to inclusion and diversity and gain approval from the faculty coordinator to carry out that project. During the fourth and final semester in the program, students complete their projects. Sample projects could include things such as forming new student groups, performing outreach to local nursing and retirement homes, working with a diverse business created through our own Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach or developing plans to create a new community resource.
To promote true diversity and inclusiveness, Breazeale states that the program can be customized to individual interests. Students will work with the faculty coordinator to select those courses, events and activities that most interest them. Students are also free to propose activities that might not have been considered previously, and as long as they meet the criterion of expanding appreciation of cultural diversity, they will likely be approved.
“Currently, we’ve got a couple of students who have been working with me to get the program up and running and will be graduating in May 2020, so we are allowing them to do somewhat of an accelerated program,” says Breazeale. “They are already working on a project where they are trying to get our University to possibly put in place a ‘chosen name policy,’ so that transgender students will have their chosen name on all their documentation other than their most locked away records, such as their birth certificates. For example, a professor would only be provided with a student’s chosen name for his or her class. We have talked to a few of our transgender students, and they are so excited that this is something we are trying to do for them to feel included. It’s already been put in place at a lot of bigger universities around the country, but I think for us to do it here in Mississippi would make a real statement, so I’m excited at the progress we are making for our students, faculty and community.”
Upon completion of the program during their senior years, Diversity Dawgs will be celebrated prior to graduation during a special ceremony, each being presented with a special cord to wear during commencement as well as a certificate designating the student as an official MSU College of Business Inclusion and Diversity Fellow.
After the pilot run of the Inclusion & Diversity Fellows Program proves successful in the College of Business, the goal is eventually to expand the program across the entire campus, so that the voice of every student who endeavors to be a Mississippi State graduate may be represented.
In fact, Mississippi State was named a 2019 recipient of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in U.S. higher education.
Joining 93 other U.S. colleges and universities, MSU is the Magnolia State’s only higher education institution – and one of six in the Southeastern Conference – receiving the award that annually recognizes a commitment to outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts.
Breazeale says the program kicked off in the fall semester with 17 energetic business students who are ready to get to work.
“They are actively trying to set up speaker events and workshops to show other students why they should also be involved in the program, and it’s really exciting to see so many diverse people working together for a common goal – inclusion!” he states.
Becoming College of Business Inclusion & Diversity Fellows allows students to learn not only about the diverse cultures being represented at Mississippi State University, but also about themselves. It helps them recognize what they can do to break down barriers of division to create a more inclusive environment for all.
Photo by Megan Bean
