Building Community though Service
When I moved to Montreal, Quebec at age 17, I did so blind. I had only travelled once outside of my home province (Nova Scotia), nobody else in my extended family had gone to college (I was the first of 13 aunts and uncles, and 20 cousins), and I had no idea how any of it worked. I didn’t live on campus because it was too expensive, and I didn’t participate in college life aside from going to class. Looking at my students now, I feel like I missed SO much and still live with that regret. It may seem like I am too-involved, but a good deal of my service is not just for the benefit of the students and the university, but also for myself — I am living vicariously through them!
At the faculty level, I have held service positions on Faculty Senate, the Diversity Advisory and Curricular Programs committees, as well as Admissions—the latter two concurrently. I was asked to be on CPC as a senate representative, but I did not want to give up my Admissions work because I love having a role in shaping the next class of Converse students.
But my work has not ended there—I have also served in a variety of other ways, often with an eye toward building the future of the University. Most recently, I was a member of the Art History Assistant Professorship search committee, which secured an excellent candidate that I will work to make feel at home. Given my commitment to building online learning opportunities, I also volunteered to be part of the Canvas-search committee in the summer of 2020. I was one of the first to experiment in the “sandbox” to test functionality, reporting my findings back to the committee. And finally, I have consistently represented Hispanic Studies for Scholar’s Day interviews because I cherish having a hand in shaping the next Converse class.
I classify the above service work as obligatory; while I love taking part, somebody else would step in were I not so amenable. What sets me apart, I believe, is my strong participation in non-obligatory service oriented towards community building, with the goal of instilling a college spirit that students will hold onto long after they graduate. My 101 students do not know (or probably care) that I am on faculty senate, but they do take note when I am present at their events. In that vein, I have gone to countless sports matches, attended numerous plays, art shows, participated in Casino Night, amongst too many others to mention. Teaching two GEP languages means that I am one of the more broadly known professors amongst our students, so my mere presence does have a strong impact on college spirit.
Showing up is easy, but we must also put our money where our mouth is. Building a strong campus community also requires a framework to support it, which is why I have long been involved in issues of diversity and inclusion. One of my first acts at Converse was to take the reins of the Hispanic Awareness Association, becoming closely involved as faculty advisor. I have worked diligently to push the HAA into the college mainstream, transforming it from a relatively moribund group to a vibrant force on campus. I have attended their meetings, been highly involved in event planning, and even did a faculty forum talk to cap-off Hispanic Heritage Month in 2020. I see enormous potential for Converse in boosting our Latinx-appeal; they are well underrepresented at the University given that they comprise 6% of the Upstate population, I hope that my work—as seen in both my course offerings and guidance of HAA—are key to moving in that direction. I passionately believe that Latinos will come to Converse if we give them a home to come to, and I am working to make that happen.
I have been asked to serve as co-advisor to Ally in recognition of my history of championing Converse’s LGBT community. We are an oasis in a very conservative and religious area, and attract many students precisely because of that In 2018, I participated in a “Coming out” panel organized by Ally, in 2019 I chaired another panel organized by our lesbian/bisexual black community. These groups approached me precisely because being gay informs my Converse identity in ways that it may not for all LGBT faculty; I know that I am a role model for some of these students, and I take that responsibility very seriously.
I am also peripherally involved in other student-centered organizations, including organizing events for our male students, our campus radio station, and supporting our first gen students. This is especially near to my heart because people who are not first-gen cannot really appreciate the difficulties of being “the first.” It’s not the not knowing that you need help, but the not knowing that you should need help. Everybody else is doing it, so can’t you? I aim to break down those barriers because I was once in their position.
In recognition of my participation in student life, this past spring I was named Outstanding Faculty Advisor for Student Organization and was nominated for Outstanding Faculty Involvement and Collaboration, both by the Student Government Association. I consider these the greatest honors I have yet received.