AROUND PACE
Following a competitive nationwide search, Pace announced
in April that NIRVANA SCOTT will serve as Director of Equity
and Inclusion, effective July 2021.
Scott is a familiar face within the Pace community. A
magna cum laude graduate of Georgia State University with
a degree in philosophy, she joined the faculty as a Lower
School strings instructor in 2015, became an active member of the Faculty Diversity
Committee in 2016 and took on
the added role of Lower School Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
(DEI) coordinator in 2019. As a DEI coordinator, Scott has developed student affinity
continue to build on the incredible work
groups, facilitated professional
that we've done
staff, and collaborated with
to support equity
development for faculty and
administrators to design cur-
and inclusivity at
responsive teaching guidelines
Pace so far. My
riculum targets and culturally
to integrate DEI programming into the curriculum.
In her new role, Scott will
goal is to cultivate a culture where
work alongside Chief Equity
every member of
BROWN to plan and execute
our community feels
and Inclusion Officer JOANNE schoolwide DEI programs; facili-
that they belong by
for faculty and staff; support
affirming the dignity
tate professional development
SCOTT NAMED DIRECTOR OF EQUITY & INCLUSION
“My hope is that we
students, parents, colleagues
of each person and
belonging in all areas of campus
celebrating our
and alumni; build systems of
life; and implement our Action
Plan for Racial Equity.
diversity.”
“We continue to strive for ex-
—Nirvana Scott
cellence in diversity, equity and inclusion at Pace, and the ad-
dition of Nirvana as a full-time
member of our DEI team bolsters those efforts,” says Head
of School FRED ASSAF. “She brings tremendous experience, intellect, empathy, honesty, curiosity and passion to this
complex work and, in everything she does, strives to equip
students with the creativity and critical thinking skills necessary to understand the world, each other and themselves.” Outside of Pace, Scott, an accomplished violinist and
violist, advocates for equity, justice and inclusive teaching practices. In 2016, she founded Georgia Artists for
Progress, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting the Atlanta arts community with social justice activism; she served as
the organization’s executive director until 2019. Scott is the
current chair of diversity and inclusion for the Junior League of Atlanta, and she works with under-resourced students at local elementary schools through Georgia State University
School of Music’s Sound Learning program. l
KnightTimes ||| SPRING 2021
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