Newsletter January 2019

The New York State Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) is pleased to announce that Alisha Balkum will be joining the Division of Diversity & Inclusion as the new HEOP Assistant Director on January 28th. Alisha brings four and half years of experience working in Higher Education. Most recently, Alisha has been an academic advisor for Environmental Science, Chemistry and Biochemistry in RIT’s College of Science. Prior to that, Alisha was an academic advisor in Computer Science and Engineering at Binghamton University.

On Monday, January 21, 2019, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) will commemorate the legacy and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the second annual Let Freedom Ring event. Everyone in the RIT community is invited to join us and the program runs from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in Ingle Auditorium, Student Alumni Union. If you’re coming to the event, let us know by registering here.

The Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement coordinates the application and/or selection process for the Community Impact Awards: Scholarships for students serving and leading in their communities. The application process for these scholarships opens on Monday, January 14 and are due on Friday, February 15, 2019 at 5 p.m. Scholarship amounts vary by award but “typically” range between $500 and $2,500.

Alumnus Shin Lutondo ’18, earned his bachelors in Chemistry at Rochester Institute of Technology, a motivated learner with a keen interest in becoming a scientist.

As a student, Lutondo sought out opportunities to put his interests into practice. He knew he’d have to find a program that would challenge him and permit him to strengthen his skills. Lutondo decided to apply for the Louise Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program and was accepted.

On February 1, 2019, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) will host the Black Inventions Exhibit (BIE) at the Fireside Lounge from 12:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., focused on the theme of Black Inventors Matter. This one-day traveling exhibit will serve as a tribute to the unsung heroes, Black inventors and innovators during the university’s Black Heritage Month.

The BIE mission is “to develop racial pride, promote racial understanding, and provide a new motivation for learning.”