Reasons to Join RAPP #2: Your Major Doesn't Matter

This is part two in an on-going series on reasons to join RAPP.

One key myth that we spend time debunking in RAPP is:

"RAPP is only for liberal arts majors"

In 2008 I started keeping track of in which colleges and majors RAPPers study.

I've learned that while a chunk (1/3-1/2) of RAPPers have consistently come from the College of Arts & Sciences, our next most represented colleges are consistently the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services, the College of Engineering & Applied Sciences, the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.  

Despite their smaller student populations, we always have a healthy amount of students from DAAP, Allied Health Sciences, and College Conservatory of Music.  

On an exciting note, we continue to increase participation of students from UC's regional campuses: UC Clermont and UC Blue Ash.  In RAPP XXVI we had four students who commuted in from regional campuses and we hope to continue to involve students from there.

One of the many exciting parts of the RAPP 25 Year Reunion was connecting with RAPPers from the first group through the current group and seeing how broad the group's professional spread was.  

In the spirit of continuing to learn more about how RAPP has been beneficial to RAPPers in many fields, we've recently set up a RAPP LinkedIn group.  Be sure to join if you're on there!

A Culture of Philanthropy Taking Root with UC Faculty and Staff

In my role as RAPP Program Coordinator, I've worked to support Proudly Cincinnati by encouraging donations and fundraising for the Linda Bates Parker Scholarship as well as serving as a liaison for Student Life in the Faculty/Staff Campaign.  - Rebecca


From UC News:

A Culture of Philanthropy Taking Root with UC Faculty and Staff

With private support becoming increasingly critical to UC’s viability, faculty and staff have led the charge to take increased ownership of fundraising and move the university closer to the Proudly Cincinnati goal.

Date: 7/26/2011 4:00:00 PM
By: Tim Russell

Other Contact: Lauren Boettcher
Other Contact Phone: (513) 556-7703

  The 2010-2011 faculty/staff campaign accounted for more than $6.37 million of UC’s annual fundraising total. The seventh year of the University-wide Faculty/Staff giving campaign was one of many milestones:

• More than 4,000 faculty and staff made gifts, the highest total on record and more than double the amount of the first campaign in 2005.
• The jump from 3,309 donors in 2010 to 4,029 donors in 2011 is the largest one-year increase in campaign history.
• Seven colleges, departments and units finished with more than 80% of employees choosing to give to the priority of their choice.
• The Carl H. Lindner College of Business achieved a 100% donation rate among full-time faculty and staff, becoming the first college to reach full participation in campaign history.

This private support helped propel UC’s yearly fundraising total to $106.3 million – and brought the tally of UC’s Proudly Cincinnati campaign to $785.6 million. By raising $214 million over the next two years, UC will join the select company of public universities who have completed billion-dollar campaigns.
Faculty and staff have cumulatively contributed more than $48 million to Proudly Cincinnati since kicking off in 2005. Employee generosity symbolizes a strong commitment to UC’s goals and is a powerful motivator for donors.
These numbers would not be possible without the example of current and retired employees who helped make history in 2011. There are still strides to make before reaching President Williams’ UC2019> goal of 50% employee participation, but the vested fundraising interest from faculty and staff are harnessing institutional momentum throughout the entire UC community. Kudos to all of you who gave back to the University of Cincinnati – and thank you for setting the tone for external support.

iPALs - International Partners and Leaders - Seeking Student Leaders for 2011-12

From UC International:

Introducing iPALs – International Partners and Leaders

UC International is looking for energetic UC students to assist, befriend, and introduce our incoming international students to their new life as a Bearcat.  UC will be bringing students to Cincinnati from all over the world and our Partners and Leaders will be helping introduce them to UC and American culture.

This program is helpful for incoming international students because it provides friendly faces and a welcoming atmosphere when they arrive.  The benefits for becoming an iPAL include having an intercultural experience, and being able to add this leadership opportunity to your resume. Any volunteer time with the iPAL program can also count towards service requirements.

Leaders will welcome new international students when they first arrive in Cincinnati, and volunteer at welcome events and other events throughout the year. Partners will be friendly faces to international students, and attend some events throughout the year. A 1-hour training session for those selected to be Leaders will be scheduled during the week of August 22-26. 

There are no special requirements to participate—other than being interested in helping international students acclimate to their new surroundings! We would love for you to volunteer whether you’re from the US or an international student.

Please fill out the application at https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG45X2pZbG9HNHY0SGw5OEJNWUw3eUE6MQ. UC International will contact you with further details after you’ve submitted an application.  

In Case You Don't Already, Follow RAPP on Twitter

I want to share with you a shot of two recent RAPP tweets:

Screenshot of a tweet saying "Many thanks to the RAPPers who help at the promote us at #orientation You ROCK Brice, Jojo, Kevin, Kimmins, Sara, and the SOLs!"

Screenshot of a tweet saying "Check out this new RAPP video - lots of XXVI folks in it! [link] @mickeybjcin @Rated_LEXX"

RAPP has had a Twitter account since this blog started in summer 2009.  That said, it's been a pretty boring, underutilized tool - the blog autotweets* to the Twitter account.  One of my projects for this summer has been trying to use Twitter more for what it can be.

RAPP set up a Broadtexter account for RAPP XXVI to check out and let us know if it'd be a useful tool.  This is a service where people register their cellphone numbers and I can send out text messages to the whole group. We used this send group members meeting reminders - ones that are conveniently sent to their cellphones!

We set the Broadtexter account to send out tweets whenever I sent a reminder message to the group.  That was the first non-blog-related use of the Twitter account.

Shortly thereafter, I went into Twitter and started finding UC organizations and RAPP students - I followed them in the hopes they'd follow us.  As a sign of growth, I'm happy to say we've increased from about five followers to 57 - almost an eleven-fold increase!

I also took the time to learn how to send tweets from my cellphone - having an easy way to send notes of thanks or reminders about RAPP things made me finally use Twitter more.

That brings us to the tweets shown above.  While they're still pretty basic, and while I'm bummed to know I had such a visible typo, they're important steps in RAPP's web 2.0 presence:

The first was the first tweet I sent from my phone and used a hashtag on.
The second was the first where I directed it at people, in this case two people who are shown in the video.

There's still much for me to learn, but I'm working to stay connected with the RAPP community in another key way.

-Rebecca



*In case you're not too high tech, like I am not too high tech, that means that every time a story posts here a link to the blog is sent out on Twitter with the title of the story.

Reasons to Join RAPP #1: Cost Benefit Analysis

This is the first post in a series that will connect with videos made for finding RAPP XXVII, the 2011-12 class of the Racial Awareness Program.

Cost Benefit Analysis:

Participating in RAPP requires participating in four three-hour meetings and one overnight retreat a quarter for one academic year and completing short tasks between meetings.

If we err on the overestimate that a participant would spend 30 minutes on the between-sessions activities and add in all 24 hours that folks are away on retreat (only 9 of these spent in session), that means that RAPP requires a commitment of 118 hours.  Over the 34 weeks in which RAPP is in session, this averages out to just under three and a half hours per week.

So, what do you get for those 3.5 hours a week investment?

• Enhanced leadership skills - particularly skills that fall under inclusive leadership
• Enhanced communication skills - particularly skills that fall under intercultural communication
• Enhanced self-awareness - particularly around social identities
• Valuable intercultural experience - future employers and educational opportunities prefer candidates who demonstrate global awareness and experience
• Stronger critical thinking skills - exploring concepts as complex as oppression build your brain muscles
• A Bearcat family, a home away from home - friendships built in RAPP tend to be unique in that you've explored engaging but taboo topics, that you've worked positively through disagreements, and that you've developed a fuller understanding of each other between and among differences

Is all of this worth 3.5 hours a week to you?

Study in Ghana - December 2011

From UC International:

Study in Ghana – Course offered 11A; visit Ghana in December!

Women, Population and Development - fall 2011 honors seminar with study tour to Ghana.
15AFST300H, 11A, Wednesdays, 3:00-5:20pm; Instructor – Dr. Carolette Norwood

This seminar will meet weekly during fall quarter and culminate in a required study tour to Ghana in December. The seminar will raise critical questions about western assumptions of the perils of population expansion in developing societies. In doing so, we will explore the political and economic underpinnings of population policies and their consequences for women in poor countries. It will largely focus on women and developing societies with particular emphasis on Africa. It will provide a historical overview of theories that link population to development and/or poverty. We will begin the course with theories of development and/or underdevelopment and conclude with discussions of current theoretical applications that explicitly integrate women, population and development into a single dialogue.

The seminar will also expose students to the practice of development by giving them a real life perspective on development issues facing women in developing countries. In doing so, we will engage in a study tour to Accra, Ghana in December 2011 to visit with and learn about the work and research of NGOs in this field. While in Ghana, the group will likely work with the Ark Foundation. Participation in the study tour is required.

Students who are not in the University Honors Program are welcome to participate! Students must have a cumulative university GPA of 3.4 or above and submit a successful application. All participants will be provided with a $1000 grant to offset costs.

Application required. Learn more about the course, costs, and access the application at http://www.uc.edu/honors/academics/travel/ghana.html.

RAPP XXVII Interviews Underway - Sign Up for Yours Now!

For RAPP XXVII, we're planning to offer 80-85 interviews for 70 spots in the two RAPP groups.  This afternoon, we completed the third!

Interviews are the final step in the RAPP application process - often endearingly called the RAPPlication process.

We accept applications for RAPP XXVII through Friday, September 30th and offer interviews through Thursday, October 6th.  So fear not if you're considering applying for RAPP or are waiting to do your interview - you've haven't missed anything!

Whether you've done RAPP before or not, you can help us spread the word!  Our recruitment team is growing and starting to gear up for some amazing promotional activities!

Finally, a big thank you to the folks who've already helped with interviews!  Sara (XXVI), Brice (XXV), and Jojo (XXIV) are great at them already!

UC VIdeos: UC Humanitarian Design Course Heads to Tanzania

From UC News:

VIDEOS: UC Humanitarian Design Course Heads to Tanzania

Honors students in a spring Humanitarian Design class completed that course with a two-week summer trip to rural Tanzania where they tested their projects and came up with some new ones.

Date: 7/17/2011 12:00:00 AM
By: M.B. Reilly
Phone: (513) 556-1824

Photos By: Group in Tanzania

   Honors students from throughout the University of Cincinnati recently enrolled in a new spring quarter College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) course called “Humanitarian Design” taught by Michael Zaretsky, assistant professor in the nationally ranked School of Architecture and Interior Design (SAID).

During the course, the students were challenged to research how design can be used to solve problems in the Developing World. Then, in June, 12 of the 14 students enrolled in the course traveled to Tanzania in order to develop their ideas with the local communities.

Led by Zaretsky and by Tom Bible, SAID associate professor, the students traveled to Roche, Tanzania, and to surrounding villages because of previous work in the region by UC faculty and students involved in the Cincinnati-based non-profit Village Life Outreach Project. Accompanying the Honors students – who represented majors as diverse as accounting, architecture, industrial design, biomedical engineering, graphic design, interior design, philosophy and Spanish/Arabic – were students from UC’s College of Medicine and members of UC’s Engineers Without Borders group.

The Humanitarian Design students worked on, tested and developed projects related to infrastructure, health, nutrition and more.

For instance, industrial design student Regina Kazanjian originally proposed an irrigation plan to help women’s groups grow food that could, in turn, be used to feed schoolchildren, many of whom came to school in order to have something to eat. Almost immediately, she learned that irrigation was not possible due to the frequent droughts in the region.

However, she also learned of new attempts to create a better convection oven for the baking of bread, an oven with multiple, vented chambers that used a minimal amount of wood to function. If adopted widely, it promises to cut down on deforestation in the region.

In another instance, industrial design student Natasha Mehta suggested a micro-finance plan that would enable women’s groups to create craft items for later sale in the United States. That plan may become reality.

As may a project that would lead to coordinated art exhibits at UC and at Roche. The students passed out 19 disposable cameras to various residents of the Tarime region and asked the residents to document their day. They also plan to do the same here in Cincinnati. After prints from these disposable cameras are developed, the students hope to exhibit images from Roche and from Cincinnati in both locales simultaneously.

Said Zaretsky, “There’s no requirement that the students continue these projects, but several of them want to see their ideas through to completion.”

International Student Voice Seeking Student Submissions

From UC International:

International Student Voice:  There is nothing more impactful than someone’s personal story, especially when you hear it first-hand. A kind of story that inspires you, creates goosebumps on your skin and gives you that motivation to keep trying. This is your opportunity to share your story and inspire your peers!

International Student Voice (ISV) is an online magazine established to put students first and to have their voices heard. Students submit first-person narratives about their own experiences and that is exactly what gets published.

ISV is open to publishing a variety of stories, some examples include:

Student Success/Challenges –  First-person narratives written by students so readers get a up front glimpse into the life of an international/study abroad student.

Leading the Way – Students feature a university or college program/activity proven to contribute to the overall success of international and study abroad students.

World View – Students write about the world around them by sharing perspectives on current events.

ISV is that perfect and simple tool in which students can learn from each other! Students also learn crucial information for daily life while at the same time ISV helps them grow into global citizens. Even more, this is a powerful way for universities and colleges to build, reinforce or enhance their status as an internationalized campus. Imagine one of your students published in ISV magazine!

So how does a student submit an article or how do you submit a nomination? It’s simple: just send me an e-mail at ccircosta@internationalstudentvoice.org! Full details on submission guidelines can be found at our website www.internationalstudentvoice.org .

ISV wants to enhance the celebration of the first publication by offering a FREE iPad2 to one lucky student! To qualify a student must submit a story and also like our Facebook page. It’s that easy!

The first issue of ISV will be published online in October 2011, so you can say you were the first one featured in this innovative magazine. There is absolutely no cost to access ISV, so anyone in reach of a computer can read these amazing articles written by students.

Portuguese 101 Offered at UC Again!

From UC International:

Add Portuguese 101 to your 11A schedule.

Consider study abroad to practice what you learn! Consider adding Portuguese 101 to your Autumn schedule.  This is a great way to get an introduction to the language prior to studying abroad in a Portuguese speaking country. 

With around 240 million speakers, Portuguese is the sixth most spoken language in the world.  Portuguese is the official language of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau,  Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and Mozambique.  It is the language of majority of people in Portugal, Brazil, São Tomé and Príncipe and Angola. Though there are only 6.5 percent native speakers of Portuguese in Mozambique, the language is also widely spoken there.

Visit UC International Programs at 11:00 am or 2:00 pm to learn more about study abroad in these destinations and many others.

Friday Fun: Planking RAPPers?

While I was digging through RAPP photos looking for ones of the old WorldFest Parade, I stumbled upon the below gem.

Back when these RAPP XV members were hanging out outside of Hodie in Grailville, we probably would've said "Oh, how neat - they're balancing gymnastically."

RAPP XV members on retreat at Grailville, kicking off a new craze (that didn't catch on for 11 years or so)

Now, though, some might say they're planking.

UPDATE:

One of the best parts of being a part of RAPP is people providing thoughtful, dialogue-provoking feedback.

Right after posting this, a friend directed me to a much less covered conversation happening about race and this current trend.  Here's an post she linked me from The Grio called "Is 'planking' harmless fun or fundamentally offensive?"

A quick Google search also brought up a Louisville WHAS11 news broadcast with musician/activist D Maul's commentary on the fad.  Also high in the search results was speaker Ressurection Graves' recent blog post on the topic.

I think this is a great topic for discussion and thank the friend for the tip that deepens the discussion and challenges us to consider historical context in discussing current pop culture trends.

-Rebecca

UC International T-Shirt Design Contest - $100 Grant Prize!

From UC International:

UC International T-Shirt Design Contest with a $100 Grant!   

UC International is in desperate need of a t-shirt design for the Programs Abroad Expo and International Education Week Volunteers.  Get your creative juices flowing and submit your best idea for a design.  The t-shirt can have a design on the front or back or both and can be in any color with a maximum of 3 colors in the design.  It must have an international theme that includes the words “UC International”, but you are welcome to include other text/slogans if you wish.  If your design wins, you will get a $100 grant as well as 2 free t-shirts done with your design.  Time spent designing t-shirts can count as volunteer hours for Cincinnatus or a UC International Grant outreach project.   

Please submit the design to brittney.smith@uc.edu  by Monday, August 1^st as an eps vector art file and jpg.  If you are unable to do it in this format or even just have a really good idea you wish to share, please let me know.  In order to be eligible for the $100 grant, you must be a current UC student registered either for summer or fall quarter 2011.

UC Psychology Professor Honored with APA Award for Mentorship of Ethnic Graduate Students

From UC News:

UC Psychology Professor Honored with APA Award for Mentorship of Ethnic Graduate Students

Kathy Burlew received the Kenneth and Mamie Clark Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Professional Development of Ethnic and Minority Graduate Students.

Date: 7/12/2011
By: Kim Burdett
Phone: (513) 556-8577
Photos By: Melanie Cannon
Professor Kathy Burlew of the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Psychology was recently awarded the 2011 Kenneth and Mamie Clark Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Professional Development of Ethnic and Minority Graduate Students by the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students. The award, which requires a student nomination, is given yearly to psychologists who mentor ethnic and minority students in the field.

Psychology Professor Kathy Burlew

“Dr. Burlew is truly committed to the professional development of African-American psychology graduate students and psychologists. She is an amazing mentor,” says LaTrice Montgomery, UC psychology graduate student and nominator of the award. “Although her professional and mentoring abilities have set her apart as a highly respected psychologist in the field, I believe that her humble, caring spirit is what is most inspiring to her students.”

The sentiments are echoed at the administrative level.

“Kathy has successfully mentored a long, long line of doctoral students in psychology. She has played a critically important role in our PhD graduation rate of minority students being so phenomenally good,” says Steve Howe, psychology department head.

Professor Burlew (right center) with present and former students, left to right: grad student Jerika Wilson, recent PhD student Candace Johnson, recent undergrad Sonya Hickson, UC professor Bridgette Peteet and current PhD student Jerren Weekes.

Says Burlew: “I’m honored that my students thought enough of me to nominate me for this award, and I’m also blessed that I really do have some excellent students who help take me and my work to a new level.”

Montgomery, for example, was just named UC Graduate Student of the Year by the Graduate Student Association and received her own APA award: the Division 12 Dalmas A. Taylor Award for Outstanding Research. Another student of Burlew’s, Jerren Weekes, was named McMicken College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Master’s Student.

“She works tirelessly to make sure that we achieve great things,” says Weekes. “She’s hardworking and she cares about us not just professionally, but personally. That’s rare.”

Burlew, who received UC’s Excellence in Mentoring Award in 2007 and the Edith C. Alexander Distinguished Teaching Award that same year, says she models her mentoring based on her own experiences as a graduate student at the University of Michigan under Professor Patricia Gurin.

“I’ve always tried to pay it forward,” she says. “For me, it’s very rewarding to see students start to believe in themselves in the same way I believe in them. To seem them blossom is quite rewarding.”

In much the same way, her students hope to someday pass along the same passion to their own students.

“Dr. Burlew’s excellence, professionalism and genuine support cannot be matched,” says Montgomery. “As a budding mentor and professional, I would be lucky to be half as talented as Dr. Burlew.”

Save-the-Date: UC Homecoming Parade - Oct 14th!

RAPP walks with Student Life in the UC Homecoming Parade annually - save the date and join us!

From UC News:

UC's Homecoming Game Downtown Oct. 15 Prompts Friday-Night Parade and Pep Rally on Streets Near Campus

Homecoming this year spans from the nostalgia and tradition of campus to the excitement of Cincinnati’s burgeoning riverfront. Get ready for the Friday parade near campus followed by Saturday football at the Bengals' stadium downtown.

Date: 7/12/2011 12:00:00 AM
By: John Bach

Photos By: Jay Yocis


   UC's 2011 Homecoming game is Saturday, Oct. 15, when the Bearcats will face the Louisville Cardinals at Paul Brown Stadium downtown.

UC's last game at Paul Brown Stadium in September 2010 versus Oklahoma drew more than 58,000 fans.

The game time, which is dictated by television, will not be announced until Oct. 3 at the earliest.


UC's Homecoming parade near campus is Friday, Oct. 14, from 7-8 p.m. with a pep rally immediately following at the Myers Alumni Center. Both Calhoun St. and Clifton Ave. will close Friday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. for the parade, so be sure to plan accordingly.


Many more details are available and will become available closer to the event at the UC Homecoming website.

RAPP XXVII Recruitment Going Strong!

Today was an exciting time in the RAPP Office:  We had our first interview for RAPP XXVII!

Summer is a busy time readying for and finding the next group.  We're still actively seeking applicants for RAPP XXVII, the 2011-12 class of our 9-month program.

Our recruitment team is growing and getting projects together.  Interest is steadily growing.  More and more applications are coming in each day.

Thanks to all our volunteers today, the exciting day of the first official interview!  Thanks to Sara S-H (XXVI) for helping prepare interview folders and conducting the interview.  Thanks to Brice (XXV) for conducting the interview and staffing the info table.  Thanks to Jojo (XXIV) for staffing the interview table even though he was on his way to a job interview!

If you know someone interested in joining RAPP, please send them to our website!  There they can find information, the 2011-12 schedule, and my contact information for any questions they may have.

National Council for Black Studies Moves Headquarters to UC

From UC News:

National Council for Black Studies Moves Headquarters to UC

The premier black studies organization in the world will be based out of the Department of Africana Studies in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.

Date: 7/8/2011 12:00:00 AM
By: Kim Burdett
Phone: (513) 556-8577

   Starting this summer, the National Council for Black Studies will call the University of Cincinnati home as its headquarters moves to the Department of Africana Studies.

Africana Studies department head Terry Kershaw.

The move is thanks in part to rallying by NCBS vice president and Africana Studies department head Terry Kershaw.

“They were looking to find a new headquarters and also find a place that is favorable to the forefront of the field. They saw what we were doing here at UC—hosting a conference, developing a graduate program, doing some recent new hiring—and they thought it was the best place to host the national office,” Kershaw says.

Established in 1975, NCBS is the leading organization of black studies professionals in the world and is the home of the International Journal of Africana Studies. The organization has a commitment to put theory into practice, with a guiding philosophy that education should engender both academic excellence and social responsibility.

These themes mirror the scholar-activist approach Kershaw has been putting in place at UC since his arrival in 2009. With faculty focusing on community outreach, partnering with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and much more, Kershaw hopes moving NCBS to Cincinnati will give UC and the city an elevated status.

“It’ll bring prestige and status to UC,” he says. “And it’ll really help the city, as they use their organization’s resources to improve life chances and life experiences of the people of Cincinnati.”

McMicken College of Arts & Sciences Dean Valerie Hardcastle agrees, saying the move will “only increase our national prominence and will solidify our place as a national center for Africana Studies.”

To learn more about the National Council for Black Studies, visit their website at http://ncbsonline.org/.

RAPP Reunion Photos: Highlighting Speakers

In order to give as much time as possible for mingling and reminiscing, the RAPP 25 Year Reunion planning committee determined to keep the formal program brief.  We fit several speakers and a group activity into a thirty-minute program.

The program kicked off with an official welcome from UC Vice President of Student Affairs & Services and Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Mitchel Livingston - a long-time RAPP supporter and co-chair of the UC Diversity Council that made RAPP's recent elevation possible.

This was followed by a video greeting from Dr. Niloufer Merchant, currently a professor at St. Cloud State University and founding graduate student of the Racial Awareness Pilot Project and RAPPORT.  She sent greetings to the event as well as reflected on how her involvement with RAPP & RAPPORT has affected her personally and professionally.

Next up was Kimberly (McGinnis) Bonner, RAPP VIII member and program coordinator of RAPP for eight years.  She shared reflections on RAPP & RAPPORT's impact and on the power of the reunion.

Dr. Robin Selzer, Program Director in the UC Alumni Association, spoke about the Association and the opportunities it provides.  Robin was a key member of the planning committee and, through her, the Alumni Association made much of the reunion possible!

Dr. Bleuzetter Marshall, RAPP VI member and Development Director in the UC Foundation, spoke briefly about RAPP and the Linda Bates Parker Scholarship Fund.

Rebecca Lehman, RAPP XXII member and current RAPP Program Coordinator, emceed the program as well as gave final reflections on the reunion and led participants in a brief activity connected to taking a group photo.  All participants were asked to take a group photo, after which members of RAPPs I through X were asked to set out and face the group (a photo of this group was also taken).  These member introduced themselves.

During this portion, Robbin Parker and Breland Parker spoke about Linda Bates Parker and her legacy on campus through RAPP and her many other amazing accomplishments.

Many thanks to all who spoke and participated in the program!  It was great to take a brief, structured time to formally reflect on the event amidst all the informal interactions that the night was primarily about.

Dr. Mitchel Livingston kicked off the program with his greeting!

UC Blue Ash student Alyson Montgomery provided ASL translation for the program.

Kimberly Bonner gave reflections on RAPP.

Dr. Bleuzette Marshall spoke on behalf of Linda Bates Parker's latest legacy, her scholarship fund.

Dr. Robin Selzer connected the group with the UC Alumni Association

Rebecca Lehman emceed and led the final group activity.

RAPP Reunion Photos: Highlighting Volunteers

The RAPP 25 Year Reunion, celebrated on May 14th, was made possible through the hard work of a dedicated team of volunteers.

Some served for up to fifteen months on the planning committee, which began working in February 2010.  The committee included:  Kimberly McGinnis Bonner (VIII), Robin Selzer (UC Alumni Association), Mel Davis (XXVI), Bobby Filbin (XXV), Danielle Thomas (XXV), and Stacy Randle (XXVI).  This team worked to connect with all the RAPPers we could find and to put together the evening's activities.

The evening's activities were conducted by a great team of capable, flexible volunteers, some of whom are pictured below.

Jessica Roberts (XXIV) and Dr. Nicole Ausmer (SALD) planned and led the pre-party campus tour.
Terri Hurdle (SALD), Nicole Mayo (SALD), Robin Selzer, and Kaila Noland (XXVI) prepared the room, rearranging furniture and creating & placing decorations.
Catalina Florea (XXVI), Siva Nagi Reddy Inturi (XXVI), Robin Selzer, Matthew Woodruff (XXVI), and Kaila Noland staffed the registration table throughout the evening, getting everyone checked in and distributing gift bags.
Mel Davis (XXVI), Stacy Randle, and Kinsey Brown (XXIII) all staffed the food table, helping set up the food as it was delivered and keep the table organized throughout the night.  Mel also coordinated the ordering of food and labeling system.

Bobby Filbin was our A/V guru - making the playlist and running the sound and video equipment all night long.
David Taylor (XXVI) and Chris Flowers (volunteer) staffed the bar all evening, distributing free non-alcoholic drinks as well as running the cash bar that fund-raised for the Linda Bates Parker Scholarship Fund.

Many thanks to our dedicated team!  Thank you for making it possible for twenty-five years of RAPPers to connect!

Mel & Stacy working hard to get the food ready!

Siva & Catalina smile during a pause in registrations.

Mel checks in with Bobby, our AV superstar!

Jessica taking RAPPers around campus during the pre-party tour.

Nicole giving cheerful instructions during the pre-party campus tour!

David & Chris at the drink station/bar.

Film Screening & Discussion: Prince Among Slaves - July 9th!

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati, and BRIDGES for a Just Community invite you to join us for a unique film viewing and conversation...

Prince Among Slaves
The amazing true story of an African Prince enslaved in the American South

with Special Guest 

Ilyasah Shabazz
Author, activist and daughter of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz
 
joined by
Dr. Nikki Taylor
Assistant Professor of History at the University of Cincinnati

Saturday, July 9th
1:00 pm
Reception immediately following the program

Harriet Tubman Theatre
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
50 East Freedom Way
Cincinnati, OH 45202

RSVP requested
This event is free and open to the public
Seating is limited

Reservations 513.333.7500 or
 http://princeamongslavescincinnati.eventbrite.com

UC'c Career Development Center Annual Diversity Recruitment Training Institute - July 29th!

From the UC Career Development Center:

Career Development Center

Diversity Recruitment Training Institute (DRTI)

  Defining Diversity and Inclusion in Your Organization

Creating Sustainable Recruitment and Retention Initiatives

July 29, 2011

Hyatt Regency Downtown

Cincinnati, Ohio

 A Program to Power Your Diversity Hiring
and Retention Efforts
 

Why this institute?

►      The U.S. population is becoming increasingly diverse. Progressive organizations are expanding networks and crafting strategies to identify and recruit diverse college graduates to lead change, increase innovation and expand consumer markets. Colleges and universities are also expanding their marketing efforts to attract and graduate more diverse students, to meet employer hiring needs.
►      Dialogue and feedback from employers and students informs us of the continuing need for up-to-date resources to create a workforce that acknowledges, leverages and celebrates diversity. Diversity recruiting today is not just about race, ethnicity and gender; it is now about total inclusion which also embraces those who are physically challenged and those with special needs/abilities and alternative lifestyles.
►      The newly designed Diversity Recruitment Training Institute (DRTI) confirmed the continuing importance of such training for diversity stakeholders at every level in the organization, including executives, managers, HR and Diversity Practitioners, Marketing and Sales staff and others.   Our DRTI Employer Planning Group, and our DRTI participants have urged its continuance as they, adopt more inclusive strategies to accommodate local, national and global diversity.  Today, it is quite simply accepted business doctrine to have a workforce that is clearly representative of your consumer base.
►      The Diversity Recruitment Training Institute is a one-day, intensive information and training event, offering knowledgeable speakers, interactive discussions, and unique opportunities for networking. Participants will leave with new information, insights and strategies for recruitment and retention of an expanded pool of diverse talent. Participants will hear from experts on the college student pipeline and building brand equity among diverse consumers; on collaborative opportunities with the colleges; on best practices from employers; on the recruiting experiences of diverse students/recent grads and on strengthening the college recruiting experience from career center professionals. The institute is a combination of essential workshops and an invaluable take-away resource -- our highly acclaimed DRTI Resource/Fact Book.
►      The Goal of the DRTI is to provide 21^st century insights and “best practices”  for  employers and other diversity practitioners to identify, attract and build relationships with diverse college students from freshman year on leading to successful diversity recruiting and retention outcomes.

Background:

In 1989-1999, the University of Cincinnati Career Development Center presented its first Minority Recruitment Training Institute (MRTI). For more than ten years, that institute attracted employers representing a broad spectrum of career areas and provided cutting edge information and strategies for employers interested in the recruitment and retention of multi-ethnic employees. Those employers recognized early on that diversity in the workforce had real benefits to productivity, quality, innovation and the bottom line.

In 2007, UC’s Career Development Center reinstituted this program because we recognized that the need for such training continues to exist, but the focus and the strategies needed to change. Today, progressive employers have made the search for diverse talent more competitive than ever. Recruiters and others engaged in the hiring process must now develop new skills, insights and strategies for hiring and retaining a productive multi-ethnic/multi-racial/multi-cultural/multi-gendered/multigenerational workforce. We have redesigned, reinstituted and refocused our attention to update employers and colleges on the most effective diversity recruiting efforts. With the insights gained and in collaboration with a select Employer Planning Group, we invite you to
Plan now to join us for this exciting event!

 The University of Cincinnati Career Development Center
The University of Cincinnati Career Development Center (CDC) has a long history of providing support to meet employer recruiting interests by presenting numerous presentations on diversity recruiting at regional and national professional association meetings. CDC is a member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the National Career Development Association (NCDA) and the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) and is highly sought after by corporations to consult on their college recruiting strategies.
 
DRTI 2011 Information

DRTI 2011 Registration Information

DRTI 2011 Brochure

DRTI 2011 Sponsors

DRTI 2011 Sponsorship Opportunities

DRTI 2011 Employer Planning Group