Diversity Matters EDGE Newsletter

---

MEET THE STAFF…and their favorite summer activities!

College And Community Engagement

Equity and Justice Read Around

The EHE-OSU Equity and Justice Read Around was created by The College of Education and Human Ecology (EHE) at The Ohio State University to bring together Central Ohio educators and young people to read and discuss works related to justice and equity.

Through book grants and literacy programming the Equity and Justice Read Around will feature works related to racial justice and equity in addition to works that amplify and support the unique voices of those often relegated to the margins and their rich array of excellence, intellect, and talent.

Equity and Justice Read Around Art Reception with Nikole Hannah-Jones

EDGE collaborated with Experience EHE Week to host an art reception featuring paintings and poetry by Champion Middle School students. Students from Metro Early College School contributed digital artwork for the event. The art is inspired by the book: The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah Jones and Renée Watson.

EDGE Program Specialist Ryann Randall led this initiative, working with Champion Middle School teachers to determine art direction and coordinating all aspects of the exhibit and reception.

Some of the students’ artwork is on display in Arps Hall.

Throughout the month of February, 7th grade Champion Middle School students participated in a literacy and arts based project based on The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, co-authored by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson. On February 22, students showcased art and poetry, and met Nikole Hannah-Jones at an intimate reception as part of Experience EHE Week and the Olivia J. Hooker Distinguished Diversity Lecture.

The Equity and Justice Read Around initiative (Read Around) supports literacy and arts programming in collaboration with Columbus-area school districts, libraries, and other community groups. The purpose of the Read Around is to bring together educators and young people to read and discuss works related to justice and equity.

Teaching for Black Lives books donated to Worthington School Teachers

Thanks to a generous, anonymous donation, EDGE was able to gift copies of the book to teachers taking a course focused on diversifying their literacy curriculum.

Leading Anti-Racism Change In Education Summer Institute

The Leading Anti-Racism Change Collaborative (LARC) ended year one with the first cohort of five school districts, and is preparing for the second cohort to begin the summer institute in August. Participants from each of the five inaugural districts expressed high regard for the meaningful and measurable impact of the program for them as individuals and within their school districts. Feedback from one participant encapsulates the positive impact of the program:

“Participation in LARC has brought awareness to our district leadership team about the importance of the work and the level of involvement from other surrounding districts. It has helped us create a plan of action for the more larger/involved goals. Utilizing this cross-district method has increase my self-efficacy in the role, increased my knowledge of the A3 method, enhanced engagement within the team, and provided a space to remove the silos and work more collaboratively.”

LARC is a small group, cohort approach to building capacity to accelerate action and change toward racial equity and social justice in K-12 school districts. The inaugural cohort included diversity leaders from five school districts: Bexley City Schools, Olentangy Schools, Marion City Schools, Columbus City Schools, and Worthington Schools. The Collaborative is a partnership between EHE (Drs. Arnold, Luthy, and Penn) and Fisher College of Business (Dr. Campbell and John Rensink).

Dean’s Diversity Post Docs

During Experience EHE week, 12 Dean’s Diversity Postdoc candidates spent 2 days on campus for on-site interviews and experiences. Six of those candidates will join EHE fall 2022. Ryann Randall helped to coordinate the visit.

Anti-Bias Professional Development Course

During Spring semester, the Dennis Learning Center offered Be the Change to some of their students and staff instructors. The resources used for the training and completing the course have proven to be invaluable to those that attended.  Additionally, Christine, Carlotta, and Austin worked with EHE instructional designers Channell and Casey to update and transfer the course to Scarlett Canvas. Two versions of the course—with foci on K-12 and Higher Education contexts, will be available on Scarlett beginning Summer 2022. 

BRIGHT

It is an exciting time in the BRIGHT initiative. We just wrapped up our recruitment for our next cohort. We’re now starting one of the most rigorous selection processes around. In just a few months we’ll know who the next cohort of transformational school leaders will be.

Additionally, we’ll have a new staff member joining us in just a month. We are so excited for her to join our team! More information on BRIGHT can be found here.

Back to top

Urban and Rural Initiative

The College of Education and Human Ecology is sponsoring a free Culturally Responsive School Leadership virtual academy for districts across Ohio. Seating will be limited to two leaders per district, and all participants will receive free books and readings. Other leaders in the participating districts will also receive a free text (Yes limited number of books available for non-attendees of participating districts!).

The Urban and Rural Initiative is embarking on a listening tour to hear the needs of various stakeholders across Ohio. We hope to hear from parents, students, teacher, administrators, legislators, community members, and scholars that can all inform Ohio State University how to serve and improve land grant activities with regard to urban and rural education.

Monthly Awareness Initiatives

The EDGE Office took opportunities throughout the semester to produce monthly initiatives to celebrate and bring awareness to specific communities across the spectrum of diversity.

In March, Dr. Carlotta Penn published a Q&A interview with shea martin, a Teaching & Learning doctoral student about the importance of International Transgender Day of Visibility, a day that celebrates the accomplishments of transgender and gender non-conforming people as well as raising awareness of their ongoing discrimination.

In April, Dr. Carlotta Penn published a Q&A interview with Dr. Peter Paul, Professor in the Special Education program in the Department of Educational Studies, and Program Chair of Special Education to raise awareness about National Deaf History Month, which commemorates important markers in Deaf history.

Health Science Academies

As the school year draws to a close, the students of the Health Sciences Academies (HSA) are excited to have completed state testing and are now engaged in end of the year activities. East High School is preparing for graduation for the Class of 2022. Many of the students are focused on finding summer employment or internship opportunities. A cohort of 5 students from East will spend eight weeks conducting cancer research at The James with the CAMELOT program. After a two year hiatus, due to the pandemic, The OSU College of Medicine welcomed the eighth grade students from Champion Middle School for the Dr. Margaret Ginn-Pease Medical Research Day. Students were able to tour the simulation labs, which was a big hit. The students loved working with medical students to dissect a cow’s heart. The day was completed with an interactive visit to the Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Center.

The four elementary Health Sciences Academies have been engaged in rigorous exploration of health sciences. The Health Sciences Academy at Trevitt Elementary School has just been named as one of seven finalists nationally for the Colgate Kids Bright Smiles Award which is focused on oral health education and overall health and well-being. The first place winner will receive $10,000 and the second and third place winners will receive $5,000. The winners will be determined by public vote and announced on May 18th.

EHE Legacies Recap

Throughout Spring semester, EDGE highlighted individuals for their phenomenal work within the field of education.

In January, we showcased Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month. We focused on students and faculty for their dedication to the field of education and their extraordinary research. Lisa Delacruz Combs, 2nd year doctoral student in the Higher Education & Student Affairs Program, Binaya Subedi, Assistant Dean from the Newark Campus, and Shirley L. Yu, associate professor in the Educational Psychology program are all doing outstanding work in the field of education

During Black History Month, we highlighted current students, alumni, current faculty and staff and all the outstanding work that these individuals are doing surrounding equity, diversity, and inclusion. Each week during the month of February we introduced 3 individuals and they are listed below:

March was Women’s History Month where we highlighted the extraordinary women of EHE. Dr. Patricia L. Scharer, Faculty Emeritus, Dr. Gina Ginn, CEO of Columbus Early Learning Centers and Sylvia Harris, author of diverse children’s books, were mentioned for their outstanding work within the field of education.

During Autism Awareness Month, we showcased individuals working within the field of Special Education. Erik Wilson, Director of Special Education at Oakstone Academy, Jill Medley, Owner and Executive Director of The Learning Spectrum, and Dr. Rick Kubina, Professor of Special Education at Penn State University were all chosen because of their time and effort in working with those on the Autism spectrum.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we highlighted alumni of the Counselor Education program for their magnificent work within the field of mental health. Dr. Renae Mayes, Associate Professor, University of Arizona, Dr. Malik Henfield, Professor and Founding Dean of the Institute for Racial Justice, Loyola University Chicago and Dr. Sean Gorby, Assistant Professor, Capital University.

Christine Fagan, EdD
Project Lead

EDGE Bookshelf Recap

Neal McKinney
Project Lead

EDGE Sponsorships 2021-2022

Graphic Design and Accessibility

The office graphic designer, Austin McClellan, has worked with the EDGE team to ensure our communications and materials are more accessible. She’s also made our DEI work shine with her polished design work. Below are some of our favorites.

Back to top

GLOBAL HUB

Global Hub at EHE

The resumption of international travel has been wonderful for global engagement. Students, faculty and staff continue to demonstrate their enthusiasm for developing relationships and expanding their scholarship and worldviews through international teaching, learning, and research opportunities. There are currently 16 active international partnership agreements led by EHE faculty and staff, and 13 Global Education programs. Our first group to depart since the start of the pandemic included 23 students who traveled to Rome in March to better understand social change. Our next group of 20, comprised of Ohio State students and in-service Ohio teachers, is set to travel to Mexico in June to teach in local classrooms!

New International Partnership Agreements

Philip Ward – Marmara University, Turkey

Global Education Programs

Multicultural Histories and Legacies of Rome: Classics, Colosseums, and Cathedrals (March 2022)

Educational, Cultural, and Linguistic Engagements in Oaxaca, Mexico (June 2022)

Global Hub Highlights features EHE faculty, staff, and students who lead or participate in international programs. This series showcases the importance and reach of international engagement across the EHE community. Spring semester has been an active time for global engagement, and EDGE highlighted Natalie Moran, undergraduate student in Fashion and Retail Studies. Natalie participated in the Spring Break trip to Rome.

Partnership Highlight – University of Tsukuba

Drs. Ivan Stefano, Tiffany Wilde, Danene Fast met with faculty from University of Tsukuba to discuss avenues for continued collaboration among faculty, staff, and students at the two institutions. All educators expressed interest in faculty exchanges, conference collaborations, study abroad programs, and virtual language exchange opportunities for students.

What Peace Corps Taught Me about Education: Three Returned Volunteers Share Their Experience

The Peace Corps is back. After two years of absence from the field in the wake of the COVID pandemic, Peace Corps resumed service to Zambia and Dominican Republic in March, and is actively recruiting for positions in 24 additional countries. Whether you are a graduating senior interested in current opportunities, or just exploring the Peace Corps experience for the future, this is an exciting time to learn more.

EHE Hosts International Delegations

In February, President Schejter of Oranim College of Education met with Dean Don Pope Davis, Senior Associate Dean Noelle Arnold, Drs. Carlotta Penn and Laurie Katz to discuss the mutual interest in continuing the institutional partnership established in 2016.

In May, Dr. Penn and Jennifer Bostic from the Schoenbaum Center met with a delegation of Serbian educators who were in Ohio touring educational institutions with a focus innovation and diversity. Elizabeth Angerman from the Office of International Affairs coordinated the visit.

Look for additional information and applications to open soon for the following EHE programs:

• Sustainability and Social Justice in Ecuador
• Teaching & Learning Globally in Israel
• Higher Education in the Dominican Republic: Access, Equity, and Opportunity

EHE Ambassador Award Recipients

This year, we were able to award 4 EHE Ambassadors across our two traveling programs over Spring Break and Summer 2022. Congratulations to Inshira Dartey, Natalie Moran, Alexus Oliver, and Byann Rasul!

Missed this spring semester event?

Global Learning Going Virtual: Student Stories

EHE Education Abroad Program First to Travel Since March 2020

Buon viaggio! The Multicultural Histories and Legacies of Rome: Classics, Colosseums and Cathedrals group traveled over Spring Break as one of the first short-term, faculty-led programs to resume travel since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Multicultural Histories and Legacies of Rome: Classics, Colosseums and Cathedrals program provides student participants with the opportunity to understand what social change is and how (and when) to implement it to create more just, inclusive and equitable communities at home and abroad. The two-part experience features an eight-day global learning experience in Rome, Italy (with excursions to Florence and near Pompeii) that creates a hands-on way to explore the ideas, concepts and theories examined in a semester-long course taught at The Ohio State University Columbus campus.

Back to top

LOOKING FORWARD

Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger notified the last slaves in Galveston, TX that they were free; despite the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Though the holiday has been celebrated by African Americans for 156 years, as of last year, Juneteenth is now an official federal holiday! Our office hopes that all will find a way to celebrate and advocate for freedom and equity for African Americans.

Below is the eponymous poem of Clint Smith’s book Counting Descent:

COUNTING DESCENT
by CLINT SMITH

After Alan Michael Parker

My grandfather is a quarter century
older than his right to vote & two
decades younger than the President
who signed the paper that made it so

He married my grandmother when they
Were four years younger than I am now
& were twice as sure about each other
than I’ve ever been about most things.

They had six children separated by nine
years, three cities & one Mason Dixon
line; there were twice as many boys as girls
but half as many bedrooms as children
which most days didn’t matter because poor
ain’t poor unless you name it so & kids
prefer playing to counting so there was never
much time to wallow in anything but laughter.

My mother was the third youngest or the
third oldest depending on who you ask. She
was born on a federal holiday which my
grandmother was thankful for, said the Good

Lord only got one day off when he built
the world, so one day is all she needed too.

Mom says Dad was persistent, wouldn’t give up
when he asked if he could take her down the

street to get some coffee which back then cost
two dollars less than it is now. Now my
mom is trying to stop drinking coffee but still
loves my dad, they’ve been married for thirty-

one years & have three kids who are six
years & 3,551 miles apart. My birth
took twelve hours & forty-three minutes which
is probably because my head is five

times too big. My mom said that my
head was big because I needed enough
room to read all the books in the library
which seemed like infinity even though
I didn’t really know what infinity meant
but I had heard my teacher say it once
when she talked about the universe &
books felt like the universe to me. I was

pretty good at math too, until about fifth grade
when they started putting numbers & letters
together which didn’t make much sense.
My brother is seventy months younger

than me but is taller & knows more about
numbers so it doesn’t always feel like this is true.
My sister is twenty-four years of loyal
& eight years of best friend. I am the oldest

of three but maybe the most naive, I still believe
we can build this world into something new,
some place where I can live past twenty-five &
it’s not a cause for celebration because these days

I celebrate every breath, tried to start counting
them so I wouldn’t take each one for granted.
I wish I could give my breath to the boys who
had theirs taken but I’ve stopped counting

because it feels like there are too many
boys & not enough breath to go around.