DDI Good News | January 2023
We are very happy to welcome two new members to the DDI family!
Teresa Long is the new director of Assessment and Research Management. Her first day on the job was January 3rd. Long earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Health Sciences and Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds Master of Science degrees in Program Evaluation and Adolescent Education. She is a former high school science teacher and an Undergraduate Research Program Coordinator and Senior Instructional Designer at the University of Rochester. Long worked with the Center for Leading Innovation & Collaboration (CLIC) and partnered with their Common Metrics team to coauthor a nationally disseminated publication “From Insights to Action: Enriching the Clinical Research Workforce by Developing Diverse and Inclusive Career Programs.” Long says, “I have been involved in secondary and higher education for the past decade because I believe strongly in the capacity of our educational institutions to create empowering spaces for all young people to grow, thrive, and create. I look forward to the opportunity to couple my knowledge of systems and structures for research, evaluation, and visualization together with the expertise and community within and outside of RIT’s Division of Diversity & Inclusion.”
Be sure to say hello to Tiffany Terry. She is the new assistant director of Upward Bound. Her first day in this position was just this week, January 9th. She has been at RIT for a year and a half, working with Student Affairs as an adjunct faculty, 365 Facilitator - Year One Program, as well as a Motivation and Wellness Instructor and Mentor- College Restoration Program.
She earned a BS degree in Fashion Textile Technology from Buffalo State College and a master's degree in Strategic Leadership from Roberts Wesleyan College. She says, “My career path has included roles in community building, education, program management and youth development. Such experiences have allowed me to utilize my passion of being an impactful, positive influence and resource by empowering community, youth, and families.”
Congratulations to Donathan Brown, assistant provost and assistant vice president, Office of Faculty Diversity and Recruitment. He has been awarded a two-year research award from the Slovenian Research Agency with his counterparts from the Department of English and American Studies at the University of Maribor in Slovenia. The bilateral study, entitled, "Discourse on Black Lives Matter, Law Enforcement and The Use of Deadly Force on Unarmed People of Color from a Cross-Cultural Perspective," began this fall. The project stems from Brown’s time at the University of Maribor as a U.S Fulbright Professor in 2017 which led to additional and on-going collaboration. Brown, who is also an associate professor says, “For me, it is very important to continuously demonstrate that we are more than "just diversity," and are, in fact, scholars, authors, and highly accomplished professionals with experience and achievement beyond face value.”
Bravo! RIT’s 2022-2023 Frederick H. Minett Professor T. Andrew Brown has been named to The Rochester Business Journal’s Power 50 Law List for 2022. Brown is the founder and managing partner of Brown Hutchinson, LLP. The RBJ list recognizes those making significant contributions in the legal industry.
Celebrating longevity. Belinda Bryce, director of the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) and Keith Jenkins, professor and vice president and associate provost for Diversity and Inclusion are honored for their commitment and lengths of service at RIT. Bryce is celebrating 25 years. After working as an adjunct at RIT for 8 years, she was hired full-time in 1997 and has been with HEOP since 2009. Jenkins is entering his 31st year at RIT. He first joined the Department of Communication in 1992. He has served in a number of leadership positions since including: RIT faculty-in-residence, assistant provost for Diversity, director of Undergraduate Degree Programs in the School of Communication and he was DDI’s interim vice president and associate provost for one year before assuming his current position in 2017. Congratulations!
In the Spotlight: Devon Watters, assistant director for Marketing and Communications, DDI, is featured in an article by the local chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. PRSA represents public relations professionals. Watters is very active with the group and serves as co-chair of the PRSA Rochester PRism Award Committee. Read spotlight here
Out and About
“Making Spirits Bright”. The holiday season was a lot brighter for several families in our area, thanks to some hard work and a “giving spirit” from members of the MCAS team. They “embraced” one dozen children and collected more than 30 gifts for four separate families. The recipients were selected by teachers at Renaissance Academy Charter School who created wish-lists for each student. And yes, the gifts included a lot of toys! Alexandria Collins, assistant director, Student Development and Robert Bonfiglio, assistant director for Assessment and Academic Success delivered them to The Center for Youth for distribution.