B LA CK HI S TOR Y M ONT H
ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
ACHIEVA
Kevin G. McDonald Vice President & Associate Provost for Diversity & Inclusion
Kimberly M. Jackson, member of the board of trustees for Achieva, PNC Bank Vice President
MY GREATEST STRENGTH
OUR GREATEST CHALLENGE
Having the ability to personally connect with people in ways that are meaningful and intentional is probably my greatest strength. Relationship building and maintenance is extremely important in higher education, because on any given day one may find oneself working with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and local community members.
MY INSPIRATION
Freeman Hrabowski III, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, inspires me, because he is an authentic and transparent leader who has a wonderful ability to deeply connect with people and integrate transformative approaches into every aspect of organizational functioning.
HOW I MOTIVATE OTHERS
I try to lead by example and model the behavior I’d like to see in others. Specifically, I stress the importance of interpersonal relationships and try to live a life that exemplifies that. I also stress the importance of allowing creativity and innovation to interact in order to achieve an enhanced result. Most important, I take a great deal of time to develop team members into the leaders they desire to become.
LINER ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LLC Dianna Liner Founder/CEO OUR GREATEST CHALLENGE
The greatest issue in the African-American community is, without question, the fact we stab each other in the back. We do not support one another! We continue to pull one another down with negative remarks and disrespect. We must become a race of people that works together to support our individual and collective success.
GIVING BACK
Liner Entertainment is currently forming a nonprofit organization that will raise funds by putting on concerts and events to give back to schools, underprivileged children, higher education, and more.
FINDING BALANCE
I maintain a healthy balance with relaxation, meditation, and plenty of rest.
CAREER ADVICE
If you are starting your career or business, it is necessary to be patient; keep an open mind; and be a good listener and a good follower. In order to be a good leader, you must be able to follow.
I think that the greatest issue facing the African-American community today is the growing educational gap between AfricanAmerican children and their white counterparts in the public school system. Because the quality or lack thereof is essentially determined by zip code, too many AfricanAmerican children are at a disadvantage with respect to the educational resources and the quality of the educators in their school districts. Lack of a strong educational foundation in the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic contributes to a growing divide as these children progress through the school system. They are ill-equipped to compete in today’s growing STEM (science, technology, education, and medicine) industries because they do not possess basic educational skills.
INSPIRED TO LEARN
My parents inspired in me a love of learning, and provided me with a solid foundation built on a strong educational, emotional, and moral code. The process of acquiring a new skill still holds endless fascination for me. I enjoy reading and learning new things. Additionally, my parents provided me with the emotional fortitude to believe in myself and my capabilities. However, this self-reliance was not to be at the expense of others. While recognizing that the nature of work can be competitive with respect to individual performance, I compete fairly and honestly. Finally, my parents instilled in me a robust moral code. As a result, I strive to be honest and thoughtful in all my dealings with everyone and volunteer my time to help others.
HOW I GIVE BACK
Because I recognize that reading is a critical educational component, I have been a tutor in an adult literacy program comprising mostly African Americans, and served as a reading tutor for children at Martin Luther King elementary school in Pittsburgh. Through my leadership and participation in PNC Bank’s African-American Employee Business Resource Group (AA EBRG), I have been able to give back to the African-American community in a number of ways.
January/February 2014
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