Week of March 24-28

Volume 12, Issue 7

“Do the best you can in every task, no matter how unimportant it may seem at the time.” —Sandra Day O’Connor, first woman to serve on the US Supreme Court (Learn more)

Student Spotlight: Jenelis Roman

Jenelis is majoring in pre-law and criminology with a minor in English and will graduate this May. She is the head coordinator of the DEI Student Alliance, a cohort of the diverse student organizations on campus. This group has a mission of supporting minority students by developing community, collaborating with other organizations, and creating cultural visibility programs. This semester, along with the Office of Student Life, the alliance is hosting the Global Gala. It also started the Honeycomb Initiative, which aims to bring together students of all backgrounds to create an everlasting logo for use in promoting the multicultural center. Jenelis is secretary of the IUP NAACP chapter and has been very involved in its Online Safe Spaces program. She previously served as vice president and social media chair for Collegiate Women in Progress and played an important role in the group’s Kickoff Cookout last August. She is a student worker in the Office of Social Equity and Title IX and a tutor for the Kathleen Jones White Writing Center. Her most recent volunteer effort was as a guest reader to students in the local school district for Black History Month. Jenelis shared that she is a strong advocate for multicultural and LGBTQIA+ awareness at IUP. We thank you, Jenelis!

Staff Spotlight: Melanie Duncan

Melanie is the assistant diversity and inclusion officer and deputy Title IX coordinator in the Social Equity and Title IX office. She started at IUP as a faculty member teaching sociology, which led to her involvement in a number of service opportunities, including as a member of the President’s Commission on Diversity and Inclusion. Melanie wears many hats in her day-to-day work. She helps students and employees address concerns about discrimination and harassment, serves as a member of the Care/Behavioral Intervention Team to support students as they navigate hurdles, assists the various diversity councils and commissions, works to bring professional development opportunities to IUP employees, and coordinates programming on issues that impact the IUP community. Melanie also represents IUP on several PASSHE-wide committees, including the Campus Climate Survey and Summit Planning committees. Additionally, she is an active member of ATIXA, the professional organization for Title IX administrators. When not at work, her favorite place to be is at home with her dog, Atlas, watching TV or reading a good book. We thank you, Melanie!

Digest issues are emailed every Monday morning. Send all information concerning your event to social-equity@iup.edu, and we will include it in the appropriate weekly issue. Please be sure to enter your event in the online DIVERSITY, STUDENT, and CENTRAL CALENDARS so that it will receive wider marketing and achieve greater attendance.

Elise Glenn

Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer/Title IX Coordinator

B-17 Delaney Hall

social-equity@iup.edu

title-ix@iup.edu