SCOR History
The Students of Color of Rackham is a manifestation of the first Black Action Movement (BAM), one of two campus wide protests in 1970 and 1975 that called for an increase in minority enrollment at the University of Michigan. Between February and April 1970, BAM led an 8-day strike and made a series of demands that included an increase in black enrollment by 1973, adequate support services, new recruiters for African American and Chicano students, and the establishment of a Black Studies Center.
As part of their reform, the University agreed to establish the Center for Afro-American and African Studies (CAAS), designed to serve the needs of the African American academic community in the early 1970's. An organization called the Minorities of Rackham (MOR) emerged in conjunction with CAAS to provide support for the university's graduate community of color. MOR was primarily dedicated to address issues of race and oppression during this heightened period of unrest at the University.
In 1992, MOR was renamed to its present name SCOR, Students of Color of Rackham. By this period SCOR had expanded its vision to promote professional, social, and cultural growth in addition to its founding commitments to diversity and nondiscrimination policies. After a near absence from the university landscape between 1992 and 1993, SCOR was revitalized in 1994 by co-presidents, Kyra Gaunt (Ethnomusicology) and Karen Lincoln (Sociology and Social Work).
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We know that finding the right community and support system is critical to success in graduate school. That’s why we offer free events all year to graduate students across the university. Check out the events page for more details!
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2023-2024 Executive Board
Past Executive Board Members
2022-2023
President Shana Littleton (Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science)
Vice President Zoe Walker (Political Science)
Treasurer Donovan White (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
Political Action Chair Charles Philips (Educational Studies)
Communications Chair Azia Harris-Martin (Social Work and Developmental Psychology)
Event Coordinator Brittani Parham (Social Work and Developmental Psychology)
Alumni Outreach Chair Lloyd Ruiz (Molecular and Integrative Physiology)
2021-2022
President Sydney Carr(Clinical Pharmacy Translational Science)
Vice President Nia Johnson(Ecology and Evolutionary Biology)
Treasurer Saffron Little(Chemical Biology)
Political Action Chair Zoe Walker(Political Science)
Social Media and Website Chair Andrea Valenzuela(Chemical Biology)
Event Coordinator Shana Littleton(Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science)
Event Coordinator Brittani Parham(Social Work and Developmental Psychology)
2020-2021
President Sydney Carr(Political Science and Public Policy)
Vice President Ajanae Bennett(Applied Statistics)
Secretary Alishea Sutton(Social Work)
Treasurer James Collins(Organic Chemistry)
Community Outreach Liaison Maribel Okiye(Chemical Biology)
Marketing and Communications Chair Taylor Bramlett(Chemistry)
Social Media and Website Chair Andrea Valenzuela(Chemical Biology)
Social Chairperson/Event Coordinator Nia Johnson(Ecology and Evolutionary Biology)
2019-2020
President Shanice Battle(Social Epidemiology)
Vice President Sydney Carr(Political Science and Public Policy)
Secretary Maribel Okiye(Chemistry and Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics)
Treasurer James Collins(Organic Chemistry)
Political Action Chair Shani Campbell(Higher Education)
Symposium Chairperson Cassie Arroyo(Higher Education)
Academic & Professional Development Chair Joselin Cisneros(Chemistry)
Community Outreach Liaison Princess Williams(Political Science)
Marketing and Communications Chair Taylor Bramlett(Chemistry)
2018-2019
President Tangier Davis(Psychology (Personality and Social Contexts))
Vice President Shanice Battle(Social Epidemiology)
Treasurer Reginald Evans(Chemical Engineering)
Political Action Chair Princess Williams(Political Science)
Political Action Chair Paulina Fraser(Educational Studies)
Logistics Chair Ronnie Rios(Higher Education)
Communications Chair Taylor Bramlett(Chemistry)
2017-2018
President Rosalyn V. Kent(Materials Chemistry)
Vice President Gordon Palmer(Higher Education)
Secretary Ashley Jackson(Educational Studies)
Political Action Chair Paulina Fraser(Educational Studies)
Political Action Chair Jallicia Jolly(Psychology Personality and Social Contexts)
Symposium Chairperson Lawrielle West(Social Work Community Development)
Symposium Chairperson Princess Williams(Political Science)
Rackham Liason Michael Medina(Combined Program in Education and Psychology)
Committee Member Julia Liao(Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience)
Committee Member Tangier Davis(Psychology Personality and Social Contexts)
Committee Member Stephanie Miller(Psychology Personality and Social Contexts)
…
(To be updated)