Faculty/Staff Profiles: Championing Inclusive Excellence at CSU

The Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement will profile a faculty or staff member each month whose exemplary leadership in the area of Inclusive Excellence serves to better the Cleveland State University community.

November 2016 - Dr. David Foley

 Walking through the halls of CSU's School of Nursing in Julka Hall, there are several testaments to its appreciation for inclusion and cultural competence. But one stands out in its creativity and boldness - the faculty diversity quilt.

"The Dean;s Diversity Council, chaired by Dr. Linda Wolf and myself thought, 'Wouldn't it be nice to have a project to explore the diversity of our faculty?'" said Dr. David Foley, Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing. 

The "quilt" is a montage of vibrant faculty-designed patches on foam core blocks. They collectively reflect and celebrate different nationalities, cultures, religions, interests and alma maters among other things. It was assembled by Foley, held together by boards and tape in the back. It sits behind a glass window on the far eastern end of the second floor of Julka Hall.

"Promoting diversity in the workplace requires ingenuity, innovation and a lot of hard work," Foley said. "[The quilt] is a testament to how much we value diversity in the School of Nursing."

The faculty diversity quilt is only one example of his work in promoting diversity. Foley continues to co-chair the School of Nursing's Diversity Council with Dr. Linda Wolf and serves on the President's Council of Diversity.

Along with Professor Sharon Wing, Foley was also instrumental in the formation of the recently rebooted Multicultural Association of Nursing Students (MANS), which aims to help minority students with networking and community service opportunities. The organization also works to advance diversity and cultural awareness throughout the School of Nursing. 

Foley added, "We hope to graduate student bodies that look more like the U.S. population and address health disparities with culturally competent health care."

August 2016 - Holly Holsinger

When students arrive in Holly Holsinger's acting class, they learn quickly that they will be leaving their comfort zones in favor of an exercise in increasing their understanding of themselves and others.

Both cohorts of the Sullivan-Deckard Scholars Opportunity Program, which helps students transition from foster care to life at CSU, participated in her six-week summer acting class.  The class helps the group become more confident public speakers and become more comfortable with each other, which helps them build bonds that will support their educational endeavors, Holsinger said.

"It's an opportunity to get to know themselves and get a little peek into human behavior," the Associate Professor of Theatre said. "It's an opportunity to find their voice and speak with confidence."

Holsinger saw the Sullivan-Deckard Scholars evolve over the course of the class.

"They jelled as a group," she said. "I think acting class gives you a different view of yourself. It's incredibly powerful."

In addition to her support of the Sullivan-Deckard Scholars program, Holsinger has supported other Inclusive Excellence opportunities at CSU. She was one of the professors responsible for Bringing Henrietta to Life, a collaborative production at CSU about Henrietta Lacks. The play was based on the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which tells the story of a poor Black tobacco farmer whose cells were taken unbeknownst to her and used by scientists for ground breaking research. She also works with students on the Station Hope project at St. John's Episcopal Church, a stop on the Underground Railroad.

"Part of the purpose of theatre is to hear each other's different stories. It might even change something inside of us or the way we think," Holsinger said. "If we just saw our own stories, that would be boring."

You can read more about Professor Holsinger and her work at hollyholsinger.com.

June 2016 - Dr. Mary Wilson Hrivnak

Preparing Cleveland State University students to be competitive in a global society is what drives Dr. Mary Wilson Hrivnak in her work on the President's Council on Diversity and the Monte Ahuja College of Business Dean's Diversity Council.

The Associate Professor in the Management Department serves on both councils which meet regularly to advance Inclusive Excellence at the University. Hrivnak said that striving for Inclusive Excellence at CSU requires the councils to regularly evaluate what diversity is and how to appreciate the strength in our differences. 

Some of the answers to those questions lie in considerations of diversity beyond traditional views of race and ethnicity, Hrivnak said. CSU also takes underserved populations into account, which includes those with disabilities and veterans, for example.

More tangibly, she said fostering Inclusive Excellence in the College of Business may range from changes in materials to guest speaker offerings to opportunities for students to engage with professional organizations that support minority students. 

The Monte Ahuja College of Business has partnerships with the Cleveland Chapter of Prospanica (formerly National Society for Hispanic MBAs or NSHMBA) and the Cleveland NEO Chapter of the National Black MBA Association. These partnerships provide opportunities for students to network with professionals in their respective career fields.

"They (professional organizations) are wonderful ways for students to gain leadership experience and have great involvement with the community," Hrivnak said. "Because we have such a diverse population in Northeast Ohio, it presents a great opportunity for us to conduct and share research as well as educate students for a global and diverse environment."