CoREM Reception Draws Largest Gathering

October 17, 2022 - Audrey Bentley

On Oct. 3, the Coalition of Racial Ethnic Minorities, or CoREM, hosted its first in-person reception since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event at Cowles House welcomed new faculty and staff of color to Michigan State University. With over 150 guests, this year set a record in attendance in its 20-year history.

The event was hosted by members of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American/Asian Faculty Staff and Administrators, one of the four groups of CoREM. The atmosphere was joyful with many smiles, warm greetings, laughter and conversation throughout the reception.

Remarks were made by President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D., Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D., Senior Vice President for Student Life and Engagement Vennie Gore and Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Jabbar R. Bennett, Ph.D. Each CoREM group introduced themselves and made an open invitation to guests for more information and participation.

In addition to music and culturally appropriate catering, a special feature of the event were displays on three tv monitors paying tribute to a long list of MSU employees of color who have passed on, received special recognition and awards, including tenure and those that have retired.

Photo captions from top left to bottom:

1) Guests talk amongst each other, including Melissa Woo, Ph.D. (center), executive vice president and chief information officer.

2) Standing from left to right, Linda Halgunseth, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Jabbar R. Bennett, Ph.D., vice president and chief diversity officer, Deborah J. Johnson, Ph.D., director of the Diversity Research Network and MSU Foundation Professor of Human Development and Family Studies.

3) From left to right, Denise Troutman, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures and department of Linguistics, Marshanda Smith, Ph.D., assistant professor of research in Matriz: Center for Digital Humanities and Social Sciences, Celeste Shoulders, senior administrative assistant in Finance, and Arylnn Dailey, community engagement and outreach administrator in the College of Human Medicine.

4) Mina Shin, Ph.D., DEI learning development specialist in Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (left) and Teresa K. Woodruff, provost and executive vice president of academic affairs, having a conversation.

5) Jahshua Smith, diversity, equity and inclusion specialist in the James Madison College (left) and Francisco Velasquez, associate director of communications at Student Life and Engagement and executive board member of Chicano/Latino Faculty, Staff, Specialist, and Graduate Student Association (ChiLA).

6) Shreena Gandhi, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Religious Studies and member of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American/Asian Faculty Staff Association (ADIPA/AFSA) delivers the opening remarks.

7) Guests in attendance listen to opening remarks by Dr. Ghandi.

8) Vennie Gore (middle-left), senior vice president for Student Life and Engagement, Marlon C. Lynch (center), vice president for public safety and chief of police, and Jabbar R. Bennett, Ph.D. (middle-right), vice president and chief diversity officer look on.

9) President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. addresses guests at the reception.

Photography by Dane Robison.