Student Leadership Development

 

 

My daughter often shares with me through frequent FaceTime sessions, her concerns as a young Black woman. Far too frequent incidents of racism, misogyny, sexism, racial and sexual violence, and microaggressions have threatened her feelings of safety and belongingness. Inequity and injustice need to be addressed, head on, with boldness, urgency, and policy. I know firsthand how challenging it is to change campus culture. The changes that bring about equity and inclusion, that honor differences, and protect every student can only be made through trusting relationships. 
 
And relationships are my specialty. Throughout my career, I have done everything from cleaning to leading schools. I have served as an educator at every level of schooling. I have researched school communities with a focus on implications around race and class that impact student success. I have taught content that examines diversity and inequities to aspiring teachers, counselors, and leaders. In all of my roles within education, my guiding principle has been Students First. Currently, I am the advisor for the Black Student Union and Kings of Color at EMU. Together, we have weathered the storm of racial unrest in our recent past. I am often called upon by administration, faculty, staff, students, and alumni to advocate for students and problem solve when students confront issues that erode their right to inclusion on campus. Though I have received numerous awards for leadership across contexts, my most coveted awards come from students. This semester, through a virtual presentation, multicultural graduates honored me with a Cornerstone Award. The award symbolizes my steadfast commitment to student success. 
 
Decisions trustees make affect the lives of MSU students, their families, and indeed whole communities around the world. What our students are equipped to do upon graduation shapes our global community. The current board represents eclectic talents and skills. However, my work with and for students is unparalleled. I’m the only candidate with a solid record of building relationships with educators and students, families and staff.  You can trust me to enact creative leadership and move all of us from surviving to thriving. As an MSU Trustee, you can trust me to listen to Spartans, to protect them, and to ensure that they are poised to assume prominent roles as leaders and shapers of our society. Canned solutions and hollow promises will not work. Business as usual is over. MSU needs an innovative leader with her ear to the ground, one who can listen to our real concerns and respond to the MSU community with real solutions. I am that leader. We have an opportunity to re-imagine a better MSU, a brighter tomorrow for our graduates and our world. 

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