All Over Spotlight!

At Student Spotlight during Bearcats Bound Orientation, a photo hunt found RAPPers displayed all around the atrium.  It's unlikely we found every RAPPer who was in the pictures, but check out who was found among all these tables:

Student Wellness Center

RAPP XXVII alumna Tiffany Stainfield

African American Cultural & Resource Center and Ethnic Programs & Services

RAPP VI alumna Dr. Bleuzette Marshall and RAPP I alum William Harris

RAPP XXVII alumna Kayla Ihuekwu

The Wesley House - Methodist Campus Ministries

RAPP XXVII alumna Keshar Smith

 Serve Beyond Cincinnati

RAPP XXIII alumna Mei Hseih

 Programs & Activities Council

RAPP XXIV alumna Latoya Watson

GenderBloc

RAPP XXV alumni Rachel Berman & Tyler Thompson, RAPP XXVII alum Adrian Vance, and RAPP XXVIII alumna Emma Smith 

 The Women's Center

RAPP XXIV alumna Katie Meyer

ARJ 2012 alumna Kara Mate

RAPP XXVII alumni Jalisa Holidfield & Ana Montalvan

ARJ 2013 Peer Leader Corinne Patterson

Orientation Staff

RAPP XXVII alum Gregor McCord and RAPP XXV alumna Kristin Myers-Young

 Student Activities Board

RAPP XXVII alumna Samar Sheriff

ARJ 2012 alumna Jazmyn Battie

UC International

RAPP XXVI alum Dan Pham

RAPP XXIV alum Blake Jelley

RAPP XXV alum Anthony de la Rosa

 

RAPP VI Alum Dr. Bluezette Marshall Serving as UC Interim Chief Diversity Officer

From UC President Dr. Santa Ono:

January 30, 2013

TO:         Deans, Department Heads and Directors

FROM:  President Santa J. Ono

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Bleuzette Marshall as Interim Chief Diversity Officer, effective Feb. 6, 2013.  A University of Cincinnati alumna, Bleuzette has worked at UC and the UC Foundation for nearly 21 years, starting in Ethnic Programs and Services and at the African American Cultural and Resource Center, and most recently in development at the UC Foundation. Since 2004, her work at the Foundation has taken her from Director of Development to Senior Director of Development.  Since the inception of the position of Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) in 2007, she has assisted the CDO and the President's Diversity Council.

As a respected member of the UC administration with over two decades of experience in advancement, alumni affairs, diversity and inclusion, facilitation, organizational development, project management, student affairs and teaching, Bleuzette has gained an awareness of UC culture that will be essential in moving our university forward as we continue to implement the Diversity Plan and build upon the accomplishments of the university's first CDO, Mitchel Livingston, who retired at the end of 2012. Bleuzette has led several successful fundraising initiatives benefiting the Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program, developed an affinity-based giving program for African American alumni, and served as a key organizer of the Onyx & Ruby Gala - a formal recognition ceremony honoring distinguished alumni of color. She also developed a system of accountability to enhance diversity and inclusiveness practices throughout the university, designed and co-chaired the university-wide diversity conference for three years, and conducted and analyzed a university-wide diversity assessment.

Bleuzette holds three degrees from UC, including a BA in psychology (1992), a Master of Education (2001) and PhD in educational studies (2009).

Louis Bilionis, Dean of the College of Law and former chair of the Diversity Council, will chair a national search for a permanent CDO at the beginning of the 2013-14 academic year. This position will continue to report to the President and serve on the President's Cabinet, but is now separate from the Vice President for Student Affairs and Services.

Students Win Battle for the Bat!

Folks who follow RAPP on Twitter already got the news:  The Student team beat the Administration team at today's 2011 Battle for the Bat!  The Students took an early lead and finished out the game 16 to 3!

Courtney Fancher (XXV) did an awesome job representing RAPP on the field!  She hit the ball hard and ran several bases!

Other RAPPers on the field included Shy Ruparel (XXVI, representing A&S Tribunal) , Bleuzette Marshall (VI - now with UC Foundation), Daniel Cummins (RAPP VIII facilitator - now Assistant Dean of Students and Director of University Judicial Affairs), and Kimberly McGinnis (VIII & Program Coordinator - now Assistant Director for Student Engagement in the College of Business)

Students celebrate winning the bat!

Students & Administration joined together to sing the UC Alma Mater post-game!

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.

We'd Love Your Thoughts the RAPP 25 Year Reunion

Survey responses have been coming in steadily about the RAPP 25 Year Reunion.  Already I've learned some great things about what people thought worked and what we could do better next time - as well as some great ideas for the years in between.  Please keep the feedback coming!

If you were able to attend the reunion, please take a few minutes to complete this survey.  If you're a RAPPer who wasn't able to or didn't want to attend, we'd also love to learn from you about that - please take a few minutes to complete this survey.

Maurice H (VI) and Elmann C (X) checking out the photo table decorations.