Stephanie Reed, a proud new William Peace University Staff member was a hired to fill one of WPU’s newest position Diversity and Inclusion. Reed was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
She worked at the University of Georgia and Indiana University of Pennsylvania as a career counselor.
Reed has a masters in higher education administration. Her passion is working with college aged students so she can help with their career decisions, growing leadership skills, and now teaching about diversity.
Reed has three kids and has always wanted to move to North Carolina. When she saw the posting for this brand new position she said to herself “I must apply.”
“As I pulled up to WPU I immediately had a connection,” said Reed. “I loved the small campus atmosphere and felt that this was the place for me. After the I interviewed I just had this good feeling this was the where I was supposed to be.”
Reed has big plans for the coming year and talked a little about what she hopes to get out of this year:
What do you hope students take away from having a diversity and inclusion staff member on campus?
I want the students to realize I am here for them even though diversity at Peace seems like a really big job. What is boils down to is my job and role is a place of support and a resource for the student body at WPU to come and affirm and celebrate the diversities we have. And also to learn about building community and respecting difference along with getting through different dialogue.
Are there going to be any diversity and inclusion events held on campus this year?
Yes there will be many different kinds of events and a few that will be coming soon:
- Town Hall meeting at the Vie and on campus to talk just about diversity and the campus climate. This will allow students to talk in a safe place and allow the students to give their opinions on what they want to see me do.
- Listening Tour which includes going to organizations on campus and hearing their opinions to help guide me in the direction of what needs to be done.
- Community Festivals for example Hispanic month, Black History Month etc.
- Safe Zone Training is a program where the entire campus faculty and staff is trained to be able to be a visual ally and resource for those that identify as LGBTQ. This will create safe places to talk about differences.
- Ally Training for Students
Is there anything you want the campus to know about you position?
I want the campus to be aware of my priorities right now are in three parts:
- Taking care of each and every student.
- Celebrating the differences of diversity that we have on campus and trying to build communities around those differences.
- To Provide a lot of training and education to not just the students but to the staff and faculty as well.