SCOR Weekly Newsletter
Students of Color of Rackham Newsletter
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back . . . !
Its official! Fall Term 2015 is underway at the University of Michigan. On behalf of the e-Board I would like to state that we were all very excited to see so many new faces at the Rackham Fall Welcome (Over 60 Sign-Ups!!). We especially look forward to having all of these new individuals get to know our current members at the BBQ this weekend and at other events throughout the term. The remainder of this newsletter will serve as a heads up on upcoming on campus events and what you can do to become more involved with SCOR.
Thanks for Subscribing and Enjoy the Start of Term!
But if you have not subscribed or you would like to be removed from the SCOR newsletter/listserv please complete this form: http://goo.gl/forms/5nK0xok4kc
Also, if you have not, please take the SCOR Climate Survey Below: https://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5jve1VqVOqiuRiR
And while we still have your attention, don’t forget to Follow us on Twitter (@scor_umich) and Like our Facebook page (SCOR- Students of Color of Rackham). Please and Thank You!
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT:
A Family Affair
My favorite American holiday by far is Thanksgiving. Most people are surprised when I tell them that because Thanksgiving is not a day where we hand out presents or have eggnog. Rather, Thanksgiving is a day where we hopefully reflect on what we are most thankful for, and to celebrate all that we give thanks for with various family and friends. And of course, many of us stuff ourselves silly, take the best nap ever, only to wake up and snack on the delicious leftovers that leave the air full of delicious smells.
But what makes me saddest about Thanksgiving is that it comes just once a year. In addition, living in two countries where Thanksgiving is not really a “thing” made it a little more interesting to find ways for me to celebrate this special day. So in all of the different environments that I occupy, I always seek to find an atmosphere where I can celebrate the people and spaces that bring me joy and gratefulness throughout the year.
At U of M, one of these spaces has been the SCOR BBQ. Even though I have only been to the SCOR BBQ once, I am so excited that its time has come again. Between the games and the laughter that accompanies re-connecting with old friends and making new ones, the SCOR BBQ truly is a family affair. Furthermore, the SCOR BBQ is often a visual representation of the diversity of our various communities here at U of M from Hispanic, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Christian, Jewish and Muslim—a richness of cultures and identities thrive in this space. It is rare however, that we actually get to see this diversity manifested in in a physical space, and thus it is important to treasure each of the moments that we can share together.
For this year’s SCOR BBQ we will be mixing things up a bit by having a few raffles (remember that beautiful SCOR t-shirt from Fall Welcome? We’ve got more!), in addition to SCOR Shout Outs. During SCOR Shout Outs, you will have the opportunity to “shout out” your organization in order to make the community more aware of the different ways you engage as students of color at U of M. We will also be depending on you to take pictures and post them on instagram/Facebook with the hashtag #WeARESCOR in order to publish the event in all of its awesomeness.
Finally, you will see a short presentation from your SCOR eboard, in which we will introduce ourselves and also give you a brief performance of SCOR’s history.
And of course, all of these events will be flavored by the deliciousness that is Cuppy’s BBQ…who would want to miss out on that?
I can’t wait to see all of your smiling faces on Sunday! And remember…get there on time because when the food is gone…it’s gone!
See you then,
Channing
MESSAGES FROM MICHIGAN
Below you will find a message from the MLK Symposium Committee, if you have not yet, please send your feedback by the deadline (Thursday, September 17th):
Greetings SCOR Members and e-Board,
Based upon the submissions for keynote suggestions in the spring, here are the speakers that are currently being weighed as options for the MLK symposium:
Please use this link to vote on your top 2 speaker choices. There is also a write-in option for new suggestions.
We encourage you to research these speakers through YouTube, their social media platforms, and their websites for more information. Based on the votes here we will pursue the most popular speaker.
Please forward widely so as many people as possible from across campus can weigh-in. We will bring updates from the poll to the committee meeting on September 17th.
Thank you,
Mary
INSIDE THIS NEWSLETTER:
Below are the upcoming events and opportunities for SCOR and other organizations that you might be interested in during the coming months.
Upcoming SCOR Events & Opportunities:
1. The Annual SCOR BBQ – Sunday, September 13, 2015 at the Trotter Multicultural Center from 4-7pm.
a. There will be a live DJ, fun games, food from Cuppy’s, and a host of U Michigan graduate students to meet, so come out and enjoy!
b. Also make sure to tweet pics and comments with the hashtag #SCORBBQ and tag @scor_umich.
2. SCOR/Rackham Welcome Dinner-September 29th, 5:30-7 PM, Rackham Graduate School
3. Multi-Cultural State of the Union/SCOR Happy Hour: Friday, October 2, 2015, starting at 5pm
a. Join SCOR as we address social justice issues both on and off campus, with an open discussion on what we can do to make a difference.
4. Spoken Word Night: Friday, November 6, 2015
5. SCOR Members Choice: Friday, December 4, 2015
a. December is your chance to decide the SCOR programming for the day, so make sure to keep your suggestions and event ideas in mind.
Prospective Events & opportunities in Ann Arbor:
1. 2nd Annual MBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND – October 9-11, 2015 is an opportunity for Masters of Business Administration (MBA) students from all over the country and the graduate student community at the University of Michigan to celebrate during a weekend they will never forget.
1. Schedule of Events:
1. Friday, October 9th, 2015
~ House Party (FREE; Location will be sent to ticket buyers)
2. Saturday, October 10th, 2015
~ BUS Tailgate (Ross Tradition featured in BusinessWeek)
~ Football Game vs. Northwestern @ the Big House or Watch Party
~ Study Break Party (Location will be sent to ticket buyers)
3. Click HERE for Ticket Information
Other events & opportunities on campus:
HEALTH EQUITY SPEAKER SERIES PRESENTS: Sherman James, PhD
Please join us at 4:00 pm, Thursday, October 8, 2015 in room M1020, School of Public Health II, Sherman James , PhD, will present “The Black Image in the White Mind: Implications for Achieving Racial Equity in America ”. If you would like the opportunity to meet with Dr. James, please select a time from the SIGN UP SHEET link listed below (reflected in Real Time) No later than Thursday, September 24, 2015. All meetings with Dr. James will be held in SPH Crossroads, 2655. Please include your academic department or research area of interest. ****Meeting Sign-Up Link: Dr. Sherman James Sign up Link
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, CRECH
Thursday, October 8, 2015
” The Black Image in the White Mind: Implications for Achieving Racial Equity in America”
Sherman James, Ph.D.
Health Equity Speaker Series
Rackham Faculty Allies Diversity Grant
Want to write a short piece/letter/essay for the newsletter? Please contact scor-communications@umich.edu to sign up!
AND LET’S GET THIS CLIMATE SURVEY TO OVER 100 RESPONSES!
Fill out the SCOR climate survey below: https://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5jve1VqVOqiuRiR
This survey is based on your experiences with and expectations of SCOR. Your responses will inform our programmatic and membership goals for the year, including:
· Expanding membership to represent all students of color and their communities within Rackham
· Supporting graduate students of color in both their social/community affiliation needs and their affiliations with political activism/social justice;
· Increasing networking opportunities for students of color within the Michigan community as well as with Michigan alumni
· Facilitating opportunities for community engagement for members of SCOR and their affiliates.
Your feedback is invaluable to our work and efforts to serve you well this school year. Your responses will be kept confidential, so please feel free to speak/write freely throughout the survey. We look forward to your responses HERE!
As Students of Color of Rackham (SCOR) we…
Enhance the campus and community environment to promote academic growth, professional development, and general well-being among students of color.
Build an environment in which all persons can network and acquire opportunities for professional development.
Encourage and enable service and awareness at the University, within local communities, nationally and internationally. Sponsor cultural, educational, social programs and activities, which appeal to graduate students of color.
Sincerely,
2015-2016 SCOR EBoard
Channing Mathews- Doctoral Student CPEP, President
Pete Haviland-Eduah- Master of Public Policy, Vice President
Michael Medina- Doctoral Student CPEP, Treasurer
Asya Harrison- Doctoral Student CPEP, Secretary/Symposium Co-Chair
Courtney McCluney- Doctoral Student P&SC, Rackham Liaison/Alumni Relations Coordinator
Aliza Kazmi – Master of Public Policy, Political Action and Community Service Chair
Demar Lewis IV- Master of Public Policy, Symposium Co-Chair