University Diversity Office
Student Support - Noel Studio for Academic Creativity
Noel Studio in an integrated support service for writing, communication, and research through consultations, working spaces and technology.
In the Noel Studio, you will work with a trained consultant to establish goals for the session and collaborate in order to refine your communication product. Some sessions goals might include:
- choosing a topic
- organizing thoughts and ideas
- researching, drafting, and revising
- improving grammar, punctuation, and clarity
- developing persuasive appeals
- arranging effective collaboration and group dynamics in presentations
- citing sources properly according to MLA, APA, or CMS
- developing effective speech communication practices
- thinking critically and creatively about a topic or communication piece
- asking questions
- understanding media options and uses
Inaugural Faculty Scholars Institute Held
EKU held its inaugural Faculty Scholars Institute May 15-16.
The event brought together nine participants with 17 facilitators in an effort to provide faculty members – with a focus on the associate professor level – with the skills to produce engaging, high-quality scholarly projects, especially manuscripts such as journal articles, book chapters or books. “Publishing is always a challenge, with ups and downs, and the Faculty Scholars Institute offered perspectives from productive scholars and authors that transfer across disciplines,” said Dr. Russell Carpenter, executive director of the Noel Studio for Academic Creativity, which hosted the institute. Click here for more details!
A Night with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
The Diversity Office Scholars were invited to dinner at the Symphony Hotel & Restaurant and a performance of Classical Roots: Under One Roof at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Students participated in a dining etiquette workshop prior to the trip and practiced their new knowledge during the two and one-half hour meal. The group had a short walk across the street for the 7:30pm performance of Classical Roots which celebrated African American artists and their vital role in Music Hall's history. John Morris Russell was the amazing and comical conductor with several guest performers including Angelique Clay (soprano), Muhammad Ali's second cousin! The evening included oral and pictorial history highlighted by music from the period. When the scholars were asked to name their favorite part, they really could not decide since it was all so good.
Music included Blueberry Hill by Vincent Rose, Larry Stock and Al Lewis made famous by Fats Domino; Minnie the Moocher by Cab Calloway; Come Sunday by Duke Ellington; and selections from Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin.
Black Violin
An American hip hop duo from Florida. They play a variety of music mingling hip hop with classical to create their distinct style.
Click here to check out their website!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYerKidQGcc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEIVzWCRSg8
Welcome to Scholars Week!
Scholars Week is one of the Noel Studio for Academic Creativity's milestone professional development events. Held annually every April, Scholars Week celebrates, showcases, and promotes the rich culture of faculty, student, and faculty-student scholarship, research, and creative endeavors. As such, Scholars Week supports the EKU University Strategic Plan 2020, especially 1.1.3: "Increase opportunities for faculty scholarship, research and creative endeavors, and faculty-student collaborations;" and 1.2.3: "Provide students the opportunity and support to participate in and receive recognition for research, creative, and academic endeavors."
Help Preserve the Shelby City Cemetery!
Join EKU Student Life & First Year Experience and the Diversity Office for a day helping preserve the Shelby City Cemetery.
Free transportation for limited seating is available on a first-come basis. Reserve your seat today! Email: dylan.bogard@eku.edu or https://orgsync.com/55054/opportunities/2301237/occurrences/5511133
Black History Month Keynote Speaker: Vince Coakley
"Mastering Your Media Career in the Digital Age"
Thursday | Feb 22 | 7pm | Black Box Theater
Meet and Greet | Feb 22 | 5:30-6:30pm | New Case Dining Hall, 2nd Floor Private Dining Room (Sign in at Cashier)
Vince Coakley was honored as an Distinguished EKU Alumnus in the Department of Communication in 2005 and the Winner of South Carolina Broadcaster's Association Radio Show of the Year in 2017.
Vince began his broadcasting career as a teenager in Newark, DE. At age sixteen his first job was as a DJ while still a junior in high school. Later he would transition into radio news when he pursued his Broadcasting degree at EKU.
After graduating from college, Vince reported to two different television stations in Lexington, KY before moving to the Carolinas in 1992. Over a period of 18 years at Charlotte's leading news station, he worked his way from reporter to main anchor.
Vince's interest in civics led him to transition into talk radio. He first filled in for Herman Cain on his nationally aired talk show in 2010. Soon thereafter, Vince hosted an afternoon show on WBT radio in Charlotte.
Vince Coakley joined the 106.3 WORD team in the fall of 2013. Vince's show has rapidly gained traction as his program was named South Carolina Broadcasters Association 2016, "Show of the Year!! His program can be heard live weekdays from 10 AM to noon (Eastern) on 106.3 WORD. His interest in civics also led him to become a Republican nominee for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s 12th District in 2014. Vince’s life theme is “live life loved!” God is his love and life source and his life’s mission is to express that love back to God and others. He has engaged in ministry also since his teenage years.
Vince’s primary focus is on helping Christians to come to a place of functional priesthood. -- He’s a big animal lover and enjoys walks with his very energetic Siberian husky. A perpetual multi-tasker, he often watches shows on Animal Planet and Nat Geo Wild as he preps for his show. For Vince, learning never ends. He’s an avid reader who often reads several books concurrently. In his rare moments of relaxation, Vince enjoys jazz and 80’s music. Vince and his wife Debbie have been married for 22 years and have 4 children.
2017-18 Diversity Mini-Grants Awarded
The Diversity Mini-Grants were established by the Diversity Office to create and improve efforts to make our campus a more diverse and inclusive community.
Promoting Chinese Language and Culture at EKU: Dr. Hung-Tao Chen and Dr. Chengyi Zhang
Dr. Charlie Zhang is currently an Assistant Professor of Construction Management at Eastern Kentucky University. He has been with the faculty of EKU since 2014. He has over 7 years of civil engineering and construction project management experience. Dr. Zhang holds a Ph.D. degree in civil engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology. He is a certified Construction Documentation Technologist, certified Environmental and Erosion Control Specialist, and he has USACE Certificate of construction Quality Control for Contractors. His area of expertise covers automated progress control in construction management, data fusion for improving as-built visualization and construction management, scan to BIM for visualization and facility management, and Integration of remote sensing technology and non-destructive testing for structure inspection and quality assessment. At EKU, Dr. Zhang teaches Construction Contracts, Construction Graphics, Project Organizations and Supervision, Construction Structural Analysis as well as Construction Economy. Dr. Zhang is an active member of several professional societies including ASC, CMAA, ASCE, and CSI.
Diversity Concert Series: Dr. Bernardo Scarambone
Holding 13 prizes in national and international competitions, Dr. Scarambone has been performing and researching music for over 25 years. With concerts and recitals in the US, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain and Germany, Scarambone strives to maintain his career as a teacher, pianist, adjudicator and researcher.
His recent research areas include early repertoire for the piano, entrepreneurial career options for musicians, student preparation to face the job market and community engagement, including a series of Interactive Recitals where the audience participates in composing and performing music.
His students have won over 25 prizes in state and national competitions in the United States, and are always involved in community engagement projects.
Upcoming projects include a concert in Brazil, a summer teaching music program in Florence, Italy and a sabbatical to research and record the first ever published set of pieces for the piano.
The current president of Kentucky Music Teachers Association (KMTA), Dr. Scarambone earned a Doctoral Degree in piano performance from the University of Houston, a Master’s degree in Studio Teaching/Piano Performance from Indiana University, and a Bachelor Degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, his home city in Brazil. He performs and teaches at Eastern Kentucky University.
Amadi Brooks ~ Athletes on a Mission
As a former EKU student-athlete Amadi Brooks wanted to pursue her passion of giving back. Her position in the Diversity Office has allowed her to channeled that passion as the GA of EKU Athletics Retention and Graduation. Amadi developed Athletes on a Mission to connect with EKU student-athletes through guidance, mentorship and community service. Showing student-athletes that they have a voice, as well as increasing their awareness of the world outside their sidelines.
Annual Faculty Awards
EKU offers six annual faculty awards, announced during Scholars Week held each year in April. Applications for all awards are due on February 1 each year.
Annual faculty awards:
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High-Impact Practice Teaching Award (2 awards given each year)
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Faculty Innovation in Teaching Award (2 awards given each year)
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Faculty Leadership Award (1 award given each year)
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Faculty Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Award (1 award given each year)
Click Here for Full Details and Nominations
Summer Bridge Program Luncheon with Diversity Office
The 2017 Summer Bridge Program students enjoyed lunch and visit with Dr. Timothy Forde, Dr. Norman Powell, and Dr. Roger Cleveland, EKU Inclusive Excellence Trainer.
Visit Sumer Bridge Program at Eastern for more information.
Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Groups 2017
The U.S. Department of Education recently released a 180-page report presenting data on educational attainment of people in various racial and ethnic groups in the nation. The report contains data on African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, American Indians and other ethnic groups. There are detailed tables on enrollments, educational achievement, retention, student behavior, degree attainments, and outcomes of education.
Some of the highlights from the section on postsecondary education are:
* The gender enrollment gap for Black students in higher education is wider than for any other racial or ethnic group.
* Some 85 percent of all Black students in U.S. higher education received some type of financial aid grant. This was the highest percentage of any racial or ethnic group.
* About 72 percent of Black students took out a student loan, again the highest rate among any racial or ethnic group.
* The percentage of African American students who entered college in 2008 and had earned a bachelor’s degree with in six years, was the lowest among all racial and ethnic groups.
* In 2014, the median annual earnings of Blacks with at least a bachelor’s degree was lower than the median annual earnings of similarly educated people from all other racial and ethnic groups.
The full report, Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Groups 2017, may be downloaded by clicking here.
