Newsletter February 2020

More than 300 people attended Let Freedom Ring at Ingle Auditorium on Monday, January 20th focusing on the theme: “A Call to Conscience.” Keynote speaker and author Nicole Doyley, shared the importance of knowing one’s history.

RIT student speaker Loryn Johnson reminded students, “Our voices matter. Our opinions matter.”

Following the program RIT Catering dished up a diverse menu with items ranging from macaroni and cheese to matzo ball soup in the Fireside Lounge.

Wardell Lewis likes to watch hockey, basketball and football. (He is a Bills fan.)

He enjoys bowling and traveling with family.

And he loves roller coasters.

His favorites spot? Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio also known as the “roller coaster capital of the world.”

Congratulations are in order for several students in RIT’s TRiO Upward Bound program. They are opening college acceptance letters. They’re hearing from schools like Lane College(Jackson, TN), Florida International University (Miami, FL), Claflin University (Orangeburg, SC), Hampton University (Hampton, VA), and Bowie State (Bowie, MD) just to name a few.

Some of the students have made a commitment, including Kyle Westbrook, who received a scholarship from Rochester Institute of Technology. Ymani Navedo committed to University of Buffalo and Janelle Miller, Alfred University.

The RIT Native American Future Stewards Program (FSP) and RIT American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) will host Native American high school and college students March 20th and 21st in two separate events on campus.

The theme of the weekend is “The Future is Now”.

On Friday, March 20th it is the annual Native American Outreach Day, a one day conference geared toward Native American high school students. The program works to increase Indigenous student enrollment at four year colleges and universities.

Melisza Campos, a Marketing Manager at Wegmans will give the keynote address at the 11th Annual Power Your Potential Women’s Conference hosted by Saunders College of Business February 28th.

The focus is ‘Embracing Our Voice & Leading Boldly.” It is held in celebration of National Women’s History Month.

Campos is a former Frederick H. Minett Professor, appointed to serve during the 2016 academic year.

Top honors for the short film “BRICK BY BRICK” written, directed and produced by RIT Diversity Theater Director Tina Chapman DaCosta. It won “Best Short Film” at the San Diego Black Film Festival earlier this month. RIT’s Diversity Theater advances diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for faculty, staff, students and community partners. The film is used in workshops to promote discussion.