THE GARDEN
Uniquely Connected & Thriving Together in the
Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
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In this issue: Frank Dolce shares his latest work with the new app he's developing to bring students closer together on campus; upcoming events, ranging from potlucks to film screenings are featured and much more.
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A Message From Ayana Ledford
Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences
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Our unique attributes make us strong as a community. They enhance our learning experience by exposing and challenging us to consider, weigh and value the thoughts, background and practices of others different from ourselves. I would like to welcome you to The Garden, a newsletter dedicated to highlighting Dietrich College initiatives that are designed to help us cultivate excellence and foster inclusion. Similar to a garden, members of our community are vibrant, complex and require nurturing. It is my hope this newsletter will help you to become better connected, provide opportunities for you to get involved and learn from individuals that may see the world through a different lens. While I want to acknowledge that there is still a lot of work to be done, I am confident our community will continue to flourish!
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Planting the Seeds:
Frank M. Dolce
Frank M. Dolce
(杜启天), a Ph.D. candidate in second language acquisition, is currently developing "Banter," an app that connects students with peers who have overlapping interests. While the app was first conceptualized to bridge the invisible gap between international and domestic students on college campuses, Dolce envisions a yet deeper function.
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Neighborly Greenhouse
Neighborhood Learning Alliance (NLA) is a Pittsburgh nonprofit dedicated to improving the education and opportunities of African-American and lower income families by partnering with community, educational and faith-based organizations. CMU students in work-study programs have served a variety of roles for children, such as tutors and mentors.
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Gardening Tools for Faculty
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CMU's Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation, in collaboration with Ayana Ledford, director of diversity and inclusion for Dietrich College, has designed microteaching seminars for faculty to tackle questions around how to uplift communities of learners and challenge students without motivating unhealthy competition. Each seminar is evidence-based, only 30 minutes and can be conducted at a departmental level. Topics include, “Teaching and Reaching All Students,” “Motivating Students by Promoting a Growth Mindset,” “Reducing Barriers to Achievement” and more.
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Gardeners of CMU: Mame-Fatou Niang
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Mame-Fatou Niang, assistant professor of french and francophone studies, is organizing the symposium, “Blackness, Citizenship and the Arts” on Friday, Mar. 23, 2018, from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The symposium will be composed of discussions on the effects of globalization, citizenship and increasing nationalism in black communities.
Two events on Thursday, Mar. 22, 2018 will precede the symposium: the opening of the photo exhibit “Black, Muslim and French” and a screening of the documentary, “Mariannes Noires: Afropean Mosaics,” which is a second iteration of the Dietrich College Honors Fellowship thesis from Kaytie Nielsen (DC’16).
According to Niang, “In my opinion, humanity’s salvation will lie within our capacity to come together as we weather the storms of injustice and extremism that are gripping [the global community]. I want students, youngsters to be active participants in the debates and bring in a diverse range of voices.”
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Ready-To-Bloom
Event:
Eggs Everywhere Potluck
The potluck will be held on Friday, Apr. 13 at 7:00 p.m. and attendees are encouraged to bring an egg-based dish from their culture. Registration is required prior to the event. Funding is available to subsidize costs.
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Already Bloomed Event: 20th Annual Summit Against Racism
On Saturday, Jan. 20, a group of CMU students attended the 20th Annual Summit Against Racism, a day-long event that took place at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary with over 800 attendees from diverse backgrounds.
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Sprouting Opportunities:
Pre-Law Internship Program
The Dietrich College Pre-Law Internship Program provides undergraduates with internships that give direct exposure to professional work environments in social justice. Placements and funding are available.
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Op-Ed: Digging Through the Weeds of Campus Diversity
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By Phuong Ngoc Dinh
Diversity and inclusion efforts on the CMU Pittsburgh campus have built momentum in recent years. Yet, there remains an issue often swept under the rug: the recruitment of Black, Latinx and Hispanic students.
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Do you have an idea, feedback or comments
to share with
The Garden?
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If so, please send an email to
ledford@andrew.cmu.edu
with the subject line "The Garden." We would be happy to include it on our website or in the next edition of the newsletter, which is scheduled for July 2018.
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Get Connected With Dietrich College
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