Alumni Newsletter | Fall 2008
In the summer of 2005, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) joined with the University of Chicago Alumni Association to create a quarterly Alumni Newsletter to update alumni of color on diversity initiatives from OMSA and the University, as well as offer information that will assist alumni in engaging and connecting with the University community.
WHAT'S NEW
Robin Graham - New Associate Director
There have been many new and exciting developments at OMSA. Robin Graham was recently promoted to Associate Director after serving two and a half years as Assistant Director. Her experience and qualifications are reflected in the work that she does in OMSA. She was also recognized with the VPDOS Outstanding New Comer Award in 2007. In Robin's new role, she will continue to oversee the Chicago Multicultural Connection (CMC) Mentoring program, manage the award process for the Academic and Emergency Contingency grants, as well as oversee the annual budget.
Ronnie Rios - New Senior Associate Director
OMSA is excited to announce that Ronnie Rios has accepted our offer to become the new Senior Associate Director. Ronnie comes to us from a local community-based organization where she served as the Director. Previously, she served as a Director within the Multicultural Student Affairs Office at Northwestern University for three years. She holds a bachelors degree in Sociology and International Studies from Northwestern University and earned a Masters in Communication from Northwestern University.
Her expertise includes advising student groups, budget management, program development, and creating assessment tools and learning objectives. Ronnie served as a resource and committee leader to many student and alumni initiatives including: Northwestern Alumni Association Selection Committee, Minority Male Leadership Conference Committee Advisor, LGBTQ Resource Center Ally Network, Black History Month Committee, Greek Leadership Retreat, and leadership and staff development committees. Her vision, leadership, and insight on the complexities of the graduate student and graduate student of color experience will serve as an asset to our office. Please join us as we welcome Ronnie Rios to our staff.
Ana Vázquez - New Responsibilities as Deputy Dean of Students
Ana Vázquez. Deputy Dean of Students and Director of OMSA led a divisional workgroup, which launched a Bias Response System consisting of on-call administrators who are available to support and guide students seeking assistance regarding handling of bias incidents. Members of the Bias Response Team (BRT) assist the Vice-President and Dean of Students in documenting and reporting incidents that occur on campus with the purpose of providing holistic educational programs and the implementation of better evaluative tools and processes. Ana will serve as the Bias Response Coordinator for the 2008-2009 year.
She will also takes on a new role this quarter by overseeing the staff and the activities of the LGBTQ Programming Office. The LGBTQ Programming Office currently employs three student interns and is currently in the search process for a half time professional director.
OMSA's Mentoring Program is Seeking Alums!
The Chicago Multicultural Connection (CMC), a career-focused mentoring program, is looking for passionate and motivated UC alum, graduate students, faculty and staff to serve as career mentors for the 2008-2009 school year! CMC matches undergraduate students of color with alumni, faculty, staff or graduate students who share similar career interests and goals. Along with one-on-one mentorship, the program provides career and academic workshops as well as social and cultural events throughout the year.
For more information or to sign-up as a mentor, please contact Robin Graham via email at rgraham1@uchicago.edu or visit http://omsa.uchicago.edu/mentorship/.
Bias Response Team
University of Chicago students now have a place to go to find support and resources for bias incidents on campus. The Bias Response Team (BRT), developed in response to feedback and recommendations from undergraduate and graduate students as part of the Provost's Initiative on Minority Issues (PIMI), is made up of 12 administrators who are available to support and guide students seeking assistance in determining how to handle bias incidents. Members of the BRT assist the Vice President and Dean of Students in documenting and reporting incidents with the purpose of providing holistic educational programs and implementing better evaluative tools and processes in response to these incidents.
If you would more information about the Bias Response Team, contact Ana Vázquez via email at avazquez@uchicago.edu or by phone at (773) 834-4672.
New Deputy Provost for Graduate Education
Professor Cathy Cohen was appointed in January 2008 to serve as the University's first Deputy Provost for Graduate Education. Cohen is the David and Mary Winton Green Professor in Political Science and the College. She has been working with deans, department chairs, faculty members, graduate students and the Provost's Working Group on Graduate Student Life to develop policies and processes to better serve the graduate student population on campus.
Cathy Cohen is the author of the book The Boundaries of Blackness: AIDS and the Breakdown of Black Politics (University of Chicago Press, 1999) and the co-editor with Kathleen Jones and Joan Tronto of Women Transforming Politics: An Alternative Reader (NYU, 1997). Her work has been published in numerous journals and edited volumes including the American Political Science Review, GLQ, NOMOS, and Social Text. Her general field of specialization is American politics, although her research interests include African-American politics, women and politics, lesbian and gay politics, and social movements.
New Director for the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Cultures
Ramón Gutiérrez has been named Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture. Gutiérrez, the Preston & Sterling Morton Distinguished Service Professor in History and the College, will began a three-year term Tuesday, July 1, 2008.
Gutiérrez, one of the nation's leading Latino scholars, has received numerous academic awards, including a MacArthur Foundation Prize Fellowship ("genius" grant). He is a specialist in Mexican-American history, Indian-White relations in the Americas, social and economic history of the Southwest, colonial Latin America and Mexican immigration. In addition to two monographs and numerous articles, he has edited, co-edited or co-authored 10 books.
The Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture operates an interdisciplinary program of scholarship and debate around the topics of race and ethnicity, with a particular focus on how these ideas intersect other primary identities, as well as how they impact and shape people's daily lives.
WHAT'S AHEAD
Internship Fair: Is your Organization Seeking Interns for the Upcoming Year?
OMSA's 3rd Annual Internship Fair will be held on October 23rd. The internship fair features organizations in the fields of business, public service, education and more who are specifically seeking to increase diverse student applications. Over 75 well-qualified students attended the event last year!
For more information or to register your organization, please contact Robin Graham via email at rgraham1@uchicago.edu or by phone at (773) 834-6826.
Diversity in the Workplace 2008: Sharing Knowledge and Promoting Leadership
The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, Career Advising & Planning Services (CAPS) and the University Office of Alumni Relations along with several other university and student organizations, will sponsor the 5th annual Diversity in the Workplace conference on Wednesday, November 5th, 2008. This multicultural career exploration and networking event was designed to provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to speak with UC alumni in an array of fields about the opportunities and challenges they face as professionals of color.
Diversity in the Workplace has always had a great turnout from alumni and current students of color. Several alumni reported that they not only enjoyed the interaction with current students, but also welcomed the opportunity to network and reconnect with other alumni of color. The evening's events feature a panel discussion, dinner and a dessert reception and welcome alumni in the fields of academia, law, business, medicine, government and public service.
If you would more information about this event or to find out how to participate next year, please contact Robin Graham via email at rgraham1@uchicago.edu or by phone at (773) 834-6826.
O-Week and Graduate Student Orientation
O-Week is almost here! As we begin to prepare for our incoming and returning students at University of Chicago, OMSA has several programs planned to ensure their welcome and return is as smooth as possible as well as full of excitement.
Below is a list of events that OMSA will sponsor during O-Week.
Saturday, September 20th, 2008
- Family Resources Fair
- Reception for First Years and their Families
Sunday, September 21st, 2008
- OMSA New Student Brunch
[for incoming first year students of color and their families]
Friday, September 26th, 2008
- First-Year Students of Color Workshop & Reception
[for incoming and returning students of color]
PROGRAMMING
The Fall Quarter is set to be full of engaging and thoughtful programming. Below are just some highlights of these upcoming programs. [All events, unless otherwise noted, will be held at 5710 S. Woodlawn.]
Friday, October 3rd, 2008
- 5710 Welcome Back Reception
Tuesday, October 13th, 2008
- Conversations on Race and Ethnicity
What is the Prison Industrial Complex?
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
- Life Series Event
Got Credit? Find out how to ensure your credit remains stable while in college!!
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008
- Study Break
Take a break from studying with OMSA-we provide the movie and food and you relax!
Las Caras de América
As part of our Latina/o Heritage Month Celebration, entitled Caras de América [Face of the Americas], OMSA will host Teatro Luna once again. After last year's standing room only crowd, we are honored to have Teatro Luna come to University of Chicago to showcase their award-winning play, Machos.
Machos is the story of how 50 men (and 8 Latina women) learned how to be men. Machos is also the recipient of two Jeff Awards for Outstanding Ensemble and Outstand New Work.
Machos will premiere at University of Chicago on Thursday, October 16th at 7pm at Mandell Hall. For more information, please contact Rosa Yadira Ortiz at ryo@uchicago.edu.
MLK
We would like to announce that the celebration of MLK Week would take place from January 15 through January 22, 2009. Our annual MLK Commemoration Service will take place on Thursday, January 15, 2009, the day of Dr. King's birth. The Service will continue to take place at noon at Rockefeller Chapel followed by a reception at Ida Noyes Hall. For more information, please visit: mlk.uchicago.edu or contact Rosa Yadira Ortiz, MLK Week Chair, at ryo@uchicago.edu.
The OMSA Alumni Newsletter is a joint project of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and the University of Chicago Alumni Association. Please send your comments and suggestions to omsa@uchicago.edu.
