Centralight, Central Michigan University Alumni Magazine, Special Issue, Spring 2024

Fire up for the ultimate investment in education! Empower our students by supporting scholarships that provide amazing academic, real-world, and hands-on experiences.

“With this award, I am finally able to not worry about student fees or tuition. I was able to finish my internship and gain one step closer to obtaining my journalism degree.”

Annual Giving

Central Michigan University

Carlin Alumni House

annualgiving@cmich.edu giving cmich edu/dei

“The food pantry has seen a 614% increase in usage year over year and we expect this trend to continue.”

Josh Pitts ‘23, Student Coordinator at the Student Food Pantry

Every day, some students at CMU struggle to meet their most basic needs As many as 3,000 CMU students struggle with food insecurity Students experiencing food insecurity drop or fail a class more frequently than their peers and are more likely to experience symptoms of depression Without support, fewer than 20% of these students will complete their degree in five years or less.

Your gift to the Student Food Pantry will help hundreds of CMU Chippewas overcome unexpected obstacles and stay on the path to graduation Donations in any amount will help us stock the shelves and keep students in school and successful. Scan the QR code to learn more about the Student Food Pantry and its impact at CMU To donate online, visit go.cmualum.com/foodpantry

Briana Thompson ‘23, Finish Up Chips Scholarship Recipient

Next generation of alumni

Executive Editor and Executive

Marcie Otteman, ’87

Editor

Betsy Miner-Swartz, ’86

Managing Editor

Robin Miner-Swartz

Visual Media Director

Amy White

Graphic Designer

Erin Rivard, ’07, MBA ’16

Photographer

Lance Gascho, ’22

Michael Armistead, ’23

Adam Sparkes

Writers

Eric Baerren, ’93

Ari Harris

Hadlee Rinn

Robin Miner-Swartz

Research Associate

Bryan Whitledge, ’19 M.A.

Editorial Assistant

Alison Foster

Vice President

Jennifer Cotter, ’01

John

Black Alumni Chapter encourages engagement beyond homecoming.

Trustees reflect on trailblazers in leadership at

Current students offer a look at life on campus today.

Grads talk about the importance of building alumni connections.

A commitment to inclusion and belonging

This is your open invitation to connect with the CMU community across a broad range of identities.

I am proud to present this special edition of Centralight. We’re shining a spotlight on our university’s Black students, alumni, faculty and staff as we celebrate our third annual Diversity Gala this spring. I’m pleased to hand over my column space to Dr. Shawna Patterson-Stephens, vice president for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging at CMU, to share more about why we’re producing this issue.

Throughout this issue, we are following the style of CMU’s Office for Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by way of APA standards, capitalizing identity terms including Black and People of Color.

Greetings, CMU community, and welcome. As we mark our third year of the Diversity Gala, we thought it was appropriate to share a bit about our “why” as it relates to uplifting inclusion and belonging at CMU.

I have dedicated my career to studying and creating more equitable systems for people from all avenues of life, and my role at CMU is at the heart of that work. My office — and our university — is committed to creating an environment that ensures everyone achieves their true potential on campus and in our surrounding community.

This special issue of Centralight focuses on our Black Alumni constituency — a group that has grown in both membership and impact in recent years. In fact, we are hosting our first Black Alumni Weekend this summer, and it’s a template we hope to replicate with other constituencies in the coming years.

Consider this my invitation to you to join in this effort — CMU alumni represent a broad range of identities, and we welcome members of our diverse communities to create alumni chapters that are representative of our vast lived experiences. It’s through our minoritized alumni that we can make some of the most meaningful connections with students and graduates, creating experiences that offer support of all kinds — from emotional to financial — ensuring we are promoting the interest, retention and welfare of our students, faculty, staff and alumni.

We are grateful for those who have stepped forward to do this work already, and we invite you to consider how you can deepen your relationship and connection with CMU. Whether you’re contributing your time, talent or treasure, when you show up for your community, we all rise.

There is space for you at CMU. We invite you to join us.

Marcie Otteman, ’87, Executive Director of Alumni Relations

Dr. Shawna Patterson-Stephens, Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging

Dedication to DEI work starts at the top

We all play a part in creating a welcoming, supportive environment at CMU

Making a commitment to promote diversity, equity and inclusion is vital to achieving Central Michigan University’s mission of empowering successful students and alumni who make a positive impact in the world. The individuals we serve represent all identities and life experiences. We strive to provide the environment, tools and resources to provide everyone the opportunity to succeed.

In June 2020, the Board of Trustees issued a resolution affirming CMU’s commitment to our core values — including respect and inclusiveness —and to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment. This commitment remains. It begins at the top and carries through our entire university community. It is not just a responsibility — it is the right thing to do.

Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion helps people feel seen and welcome. It also empowers them to do their best work. When we work together across differences while also embracing those differences, we achieve the most creative, innovative and effective solutions.

We all have a role to play in creating the kind of place we want to live, work and learn.

Modeling respect, compassion and inclusiveness is one way we all can contribute to our university’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Be well and Fire Up Chips!

Bob Davies, Ph.D. President, Central Michigan University

President Bob Davies

PHOTO BY LANCE GASCHO

PHOTO BY LANCE GASCHO

PHOTO BY LANCE GASCHO

CMU TODAY

Is sickle cell disease linked to falls?

CMU researcher says the inner ear can provide answers

BY ERIC BAERREN

The road to answering whether people with sickle cell disease fall more frequently leads to the inner ear, according to a Central Michigan University researcher.

Sickle cell disease is an umbrella term to describe a range of inherited blood disorders that cause red blood cells to bend into the shape of a sickle blade. These cells are hard, sticky and die early. They also can clog small blood vessels. That can lead to a range of complications.

One of them is hearing loss, said Dawn Nelson, a faculty member in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. The parts of the inner ear related to hearing share structures, fluid and blood vessels with the those that control balance.

Nelson started gathering data through a selfassessment survey that asked about dizziness and falling. Responses pointed to an increased rate of both among people with sickle cell disease.

Because of those findings, Nelson has partnered with researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Michigan to gather clinical data from people seeking treatment for the symptoms of sickle cell disease.

It’s likely to take several years to establish a firm link between increased falls by people with sickle cell disease and damage to the ear, Nelson said, but there is one place where her research can yield immediate benefit: It can help attack stigma associated with sickle cell disease.

One of the things they discovered from the self-assessment is many respondents were educated, earned comfortable salaries, and had health insurance but didn’t seek medical care for their sickle cell disease.

One piece of reducing sickle cell stigma was publishing the results of her research in a way that made it publicly available. Nelson said she did that with critical support from CMU’s Office of Research and Graduate Studies. •

Doctoral student studies new way to combat tuberculosis

Research focused on fighting pulmonary diseases

BY HADLEE RINN

In a significant stride toward combating mycobacterial diseases, including the tuberculosis (TB), Priscilla Dzigba, a doctoral student in Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, is pioneering the development of antibody-recruiting molecules (ARMs) at CMU. Her innovative research focuses on creating ARMs to target and neutralize mycobacteria, the culprits behind TB, nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) disease, leprosy, diphtheria and Buruli ulcer. These diseases pose a growing challenge due to increasing antibiotic resistance, which threatens to cause over 10 million deaths by 2050.

Dzigba’s groundbreaking work has led to the creation of Tre-DNP, the first ARM designed to combat mycobacteria by enhancing the human immune system’s ability to detect and destroy these pathogens. This novel compound marks a crucial step forward in utilizing the body’s natural defenses against drugresistant strains of TB and NTM, potentially revolutionizing current treatment approaches.

“I hope that my findings will help to lay the groundwork for more effective therapies in addition to existing conventional therapies for patients with TB and NTM, particularly those afflicted with drugresistant strains,” Dzigba said. She also hopes her findings will spur additional studies into the design and synthesis of ARMs for other infectious diseases as well as autoimmune disorders and allergies. Post-graduation, Dzigba aspires to continue her work, translating scientific breakthroughs into therapeutic solutions and societal benefits. Her commitment to collaborative research under the guidance of Dr. Benjamin Swarts and Dr. Mallary Greenlee-Wacker at CMU highlights the institution’s supportive and innovative research environment. •

CMU faculty team up to study mentoring experience

Paper focuses on the perspectives of Black women academic nurse leaders

Kechi Iheduru-Anderson and René Revis Shingles have published a paper examining the critical role mentoring plays in leadership development and succession planning among Black women academic nurse leaders.

“Mentoring Experience for Career Advancement: The Perspectives of Black Women Academic Nurse Leaders” examined how Black women academic nurse leaders perceive mentoring in academic nursing using critical race theory as the guiding framework. It explores the vital role of mentorship in promoting and advancing Black women in these roles.

The study collected and analyzed data, and their findings fell under two major themes: being mentored and mentoring others. The findings highlight perceived significant differences in the allocation of resources and mentoring for career advancement in academic nursing for Black nurses compared to those classified as white. Increasing diversity in nursing requires deliberate effort from majority white leadership.

Iheduru-Anderson is the inaugural Nursing Program Director and Associate Professor at The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions at CMU. She is also an Inaugural Fellow of American Association of Colleges of Nursing Elevated Leaders in Academic Nursing (ELAN). She holds a doctoral degree in nursing education and a master’s degree in nursing leadership and health care administration. She is a certified nurse educator. Her research interests focus on equity, diversity, inclusion and antiracism in nursing practice, leadership and education.

Iheduru-Anderson also received the Exemplary Research and Scholarship award at last year’s CMU Diversity Gala.

Shingles is a longtime faculty member in CMU’s prestigious Athletic Training program. She has published several books and papers on cultural competence and considerations in sports medicine. She is a board-certified athletic trainer and was the first African American woman inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame. •

In memoriam:

Samuel Spralls III

Professor remembered for aspirational approach to teaching and professional contributions

BY ARI HARRIS

Samuel A. Spralls III, a faculty member in the Department of Marketing, Hospitality and Logistics at CMU, died Sept. 21. He was 71.

Spralls attended the University of Wisconsin, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. He worked for several years with Proctor & Gamble and the Johnson Products Co. before returning to school to pursue an MBA at the University of Chicago in Illinois. He later moved to Dallas, accepting a vice president of

Prominent student affairs group honors CMU VP

Patterson-Stephens joins ACPA’s Diamond Honoree Class of 2024

BY ERIC BAERREN

Shawna Patterson-Stephens, vice president for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging, was named a Diamond Honoree for the American College Personnel Association’s Class of 2024. It is the organization’s 25th class.

PattersonStephens has more than 20 years of experience in higher education — a career that started with her earning a bachelor’s degree from CMU. Recently, she led efforts to produce the campus’ new diversity, equity and inclusion strategic plan, and she led the change in CMU policy

operations role with Pro-Line Corp. before starting his own hair care company, HBA International Inc. He later became chairman of the Private Industry Council, formed New Line Cosmetics, and launched several hair care products. He realized a childhood dream of attaining a doctoral degree in marketing from Texas Tech University in 2003. After teaching there for a few years, he joined the faculty at CMU in 2006.

Colleague and department chair

Richard Divine said Spralls felt he had benefited greatly from his experiences in college and wanted his students to make the most of their own academic journeys. He also was particularly attentive to efforts to promote diversity and inclusion at CMU, ensuring that all students had equitable opportunities to pursue their academic goals and dreams.

“His mission in life was for others like him to benefit from education as much he had,” Divine said. •

on lived/chosen names.

In 2023, she was named one of Michigan’s Notable Leaders in DEI by Crain’s Detroit. She also won the ACPA’s 2023 Harold E. Cheatham Innovative Practice Award.

Patterson-Stephens is the principal investigator for a national project examining the experiences of Black women in higher education and for CMU’s Aspire Alliance for Inclusive and Diversity STEM Faculty grant, funded through the National Science Foundation. She has served in multiple capacities for ACPA over her 15-year membership.

Patterson-Stephens also earned the 2023 Bobby E. Leach Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award from NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The award honors a senior student affairs professional or faculty member who has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion throughout their administrative or academic tenure. •

‘It’s essential for

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH’

CMU’s Black Alumni Chapter is building community for graduates and students

BY ROBIN MINER-SWARTZ

When Shanese Ross-Pierre stepped onto CMU’s campus as a transfer student — and a firstgeneration college student — she knew it was important to find her community.

“I was very involved on campus within sororities and other student organizations, with the Minority Student Services office,” she said. “I enjoyed my time so much that I’m back working at CMU now. It’s been a full-circle experience for me.”

Today, Ross-Pierre, ’08, is the director of university partnerships and community engagement in the CMU Center for Charter Schools. She’s also the president of CMU’s Black Alumni Chapter — a group that has re-energized in recent years.

“Re-establishing the Black Alumni Chapter was personal for me,” she said. “It builds community. A lot of people get their degrees and just go off and start doing life, but when they have that sense of belonging, when there’s a networking event where they know they’ll see old friends and meet others with the same experiences, it’s essential for personal and professional growth.”

For Shawna Patterson-Stephens, vice president for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging and the university’s senior diversity officer, the opportunity to create spaces of support for marginalized alumni was essential.

“I want us to offer opportunities that encourage alumni to come back to campus beyond homecoming,” Patterson-Stephens, ’03, said. “This should be the easiest place to come home to. I want CMU to feel like a safe haven.”

Affinity groups, such as the CMU Black Alumni Chapter, create spaces of belonging for CMU graduates with a broad range of identities and — crucially — they also offer a way for alumni to serve as mentors and connectors for current students.

“Having mentors who look like you, learning what their journey was like, that’s what I want to make sure we’re offering our current students,” RossPierrie said. “It helps them connect the work they’re doing in the classroom with a future job. It informs decisions about their careers.

“It really opens up the world of possibilities for students.”

The structure and purpose behind the work also has to be intentional, said Stan Shingles, who recently retired as assistant vice president of Student Affairs and University Recreation.

“The last thing you want is for the target audience to say, ‘Here we go again.’ When the effort is driven by those who are being served by the work, people naturally feel more connected.”

Shingles has been a fixture on campus for 35 years and has been that mentor for countless students of all backgrounds. While he deeply believes in the value of people serving in leadership roles and as mentors for decades, he recognizes the importance of the pipeline constantly refreshing.

“The diversity of networks that we each bring to the table is a benefit for our students,” Shingles said. “Alumni and faculty and staff are important conduits between students and professionals, and having people with different connections helps us help students build their affinity with CMU and want to also return to give back once they’re established in their careers.”

Another key way CMU is amplifying the accomplishments and connections for students, alumni, faculty and staff is embodied in the annual Diversity Gala. Now in its third year, the event celebrates

PHOTO BY MICHAEL ARMISTEAD

the work happening across campus related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

“If people don’t know something is happening, they assume it’s not happening at all,” Patterson-Stephens said. “This gala celebrates the work being done and the people making it happen.”

Patterson-Stephens said the fact that the gala is institutionally driven is key.

“It’s the job of the institution to do this work,” she said. “This is about CMU showing its support for Black alumni, for diverse alumni.”

A Black Alumni Weekend is in the works for this summer, offering alumni the opportunity to return to campus, stay in the dorms, and revisit — or visit for the first time — iconic places and spaces. It’s also a chance to make important connections with today’s students.

“The weekend helps promote the cultural preservation of higher education,” Ross-Pierrie said. “It ensures the experiences we had as African American students is passed to the next generation so that, in years to come, that’s the expectation for them — to reconnect, to give back, whether that’s presenting at a workshop or serving as a networking connection or even donating to scholarships. When students see alumni succeeding, they’re seeing the future, they’re seeing their own finish line.” •

Campus Diversity Gala

Launched under the vision of Shawna Patterson-Stephens, vice president for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging and the university’s senior diversity officer, the annual Campus Diversity Gala puts a bow on the academic year, where all who share in the CMU mission can come together to celebrate achievements toward inclusion, equity and belonging. Individuals who are formally affiliated with CMU as well as changemakers within the region are recognized for their outstanding work in the area of social justice and change.

This year’s event will be held at 6 p.m. April 26 in the University Center Rotunda.

Read about past Diversity Gala award winners: 2023

https://www.cmich.edu/offices-departments/institutionaldiversity-equity-inclusion/events/campus-diversity-gala 2022

https://www.cmich.edu/news/details/gala-celebratesdiversity-equity-and-inclusion-at-cmu

Black Alumni Weekend

The inaugural Black Alumni Weekend is planned for June 28-30. To see the schedule and register to attend, visit https://www.cmich. edu/events/2024/06/29/alumni-events/2024-cmu-black-alumniweekend

PHOTO BY LANCE GASCHO

TAKING A SEAT at the table

Trustees reflect on trailblazing Black leadership at CMU

Central Michigan University was founded in 1892 as the Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute. It wouldn’t have its first Black student body president until 1959 when Lem Tucker stepped into the role.

When CMU’s Board of Trustees met for the very first time on Feb. 24, 1964, one Black member had a seat at the table — Lloyd M. Cofer.

Cofer served on the board from the first meeting until his death in 1980, and he was the first Black chair of the board as well.

And CMU’s first Black president, George Ross, took over the helm in 2010. Shawna Patterson-Stephens, hired in 2021, is the first Black woman to serve as a vice president at CMU.

Today, CMU’s Board of Trustees has four Black members. For Isaiah Oliver — on the board since 2019 and a 2003 alum of CMU — the importance of having Black leadership across campus is not lost on him.

“I came to CMU from Flint, and I stepped into this new world with maybe some unrealistic expectations about what my new bubble would look like and what it would offer me,” he said.

“My upbringing was on the north side of Flint — it’s a majority Black city — so Mount Pleasant was a bit of a culture shock.”

Oliver said it took a minute to get his bearings, but tapping into what he calls the official and unofficial Black leadership on campus made all the difference for him.

“People have their professional roles, but they also have these roles they’re called to — they’re helping meet the needs of an affinity group,” he said. “It was those unofficial leaders and their support system that were probably more meaningful than anything organized.”

Oliver points to grad assistants, advisers and support staff who helped him navigate his new community, but he said one person in particular took on a key unofficial role that made a big impact: Stan Shingles.

“It was like having an uncle on campus,” Oliver said of Shingles who recently announced his retirement as assistant vice president of Student Affairs and University Recreation. “He was there to support me when I wasn’t even sure what I needed.”

Stepping onto the Board of Trustees in 2019, Oliver was the only Black member at the time.

“I had to carry the Black perspective,” he recalled.

But with the addition of Sharon Heath and Regine Beauboeuf in 2021 and Denise Williams Mallett in 2023, Oliver said, “now you get the diversity of Black experiences. We are not a monolith. And no one person has to carry that alone.”

Heath agrees.

“When I see someone who looks like me in a room — or especially in a position of leadership — I feel like I can be seen, I can be heard. And, so, I’m very aware of my role on the board. It’s so important for students to see representation at all levels in a university setting,” Heath said. “But it’s also important for students who

From left: Isaiah Oliver, Regina Beauboeuf, Sharon Heath and Denise Williams Mallett

PHOTOS BY LANCE GASCHO

don’t look like me to see people like me at the table.”

That representation extends to the alumni networks students aspire to while they’re still in school.

“One of the most important things for students to see is that there is a space for them, there’s pride in their accomplishments,” she said. “And events like the CMU Diversity Gala that acknowledge what we’re achieving are so important. Diversity and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords at CMU, and it’s important for students — and prospective students — to see the actions we’re putting in place so they can say, ‘I made the right decision coming here.’”

Heath also earned a degree from CMU — a Master of Health Services Administration in 1996 — and while her coursework was online, she still feels a strong connection walking on campus.

“I hope when Black students arrive on campus, they feel this is the right place for them, and that starts with seeing folks who look like them — not only on campus, but in restaurants, in stores, wherever they go,” Heath said. “And I want them to see the opportunity that being at Central affords them.”

Oliver finished his term as board chair at the end of 2023 and will complete his board term at the end of this year.

Through the lens of both student and trustee, he hopes Black students feel and understand they are not alone.

“People have been here before you, and I hope they can see the systems of support that are in place,” Oliver said. “And I hope the ones who were here during my tenure can say they saw the board chair wear a hoodie and some Jordans to a subcommittee meeting and they can relate. Even if they don’t aspire to be a board chair someday, they’ve seen it. And once you see something, you’re empowered.”

Oliver said he hopes he’s empowered some young leaders to step into the spaces that matter to them.

“That’s what’s different from 25 years ago when I started on campus.” •

A legacy

of making

CMU ‘HOME’ FOR STUDENTS

After more than three decades of service, Stan Shingles is retiring

BY ARI HARRIS

Stan Shingles joined the CMU community in August of 1989, when he was hired as the assistant director of intramural sports. And, though his titles and responsibilities changed several times over the subsequent 35 years, engaging students in recreational activities remained close to his heart.

On Feb. 6, Shingles was awarded emeritus status by the CMU Board of Trustees. It was the first day that many current and former students and mentees learned of his retirement.

In the hours that followed the meeting, his cell phone buzzed constantly with expressions of disbelief and messages of gratitude and love. Many of those messages came from students who considered Shingles something like a “campus dad” while they were a long way from home.

Those messages of gratitude – and the stories behind them — are why Shingles loves his job.

“This,” he said, “this is why we do it.”

Every year, Stan and René Revis Shingles host a very special meal at their home on Labor Day — a backyard barbecue to help Chicago-based students find community at Central. And, in his early years at CMU, several times a week, students would find Shingles on the basketball court, engaging them as a teammate instead of as an administrator.

While these experiences may be some students’ first time having a “Stan-versation” with a longtime CMU leader, it’s never their last.

Known for his open door for students looking for support, Shingles has been a lifelong mentor to hundreds of students.

“Stan was always the captain of an unofficial ‘student support network’ behind the scenes, focused on making sure students had an increased sense of belonging in Mount Pleasant,” said CMU Trustee Isaiah Oliver, who has known Shingles for nearly 25 years. “With Stan’s support during my time on campus I not only learned how to be a better student and growing professional, I left campus a better man.”

During his tenure, Shingles has been deeply involved with advancing diversity, equity and inclusion across the institution. He served twice in interim leadership roles in institutional diversity, once in 1997 and again in 2020, and participated in many committees and task forces dedicated to making the university a more welcoming and inclusive place for all students, faculty and staff. •

Read a longer version of this story at https://www.cmich.edu/news/ details/a-legacy-of-making-cmu-home-for-students

THE NEXT GENERATION of CMU alumni

Today’s students find leadership opportunities and connections all across campus

Tupac Holmes

» Hometown: Chicago

» Studying: Information systems

» Expected graduation: 2025

Why did you choose CMU? I had a lot of options, and it was down to Michigan State and Central. When I visited both campuses, I realized Central looked more homey and had a better environment for me.

What do you like about CMU? The community. And the active role that it plays in trying to better yourself and the world around you. Being a smaller setting, it’s quieter and I can focus on my studies, and you kind of have to learn to create your own fun. That helps build friendships and community more than having those activities already set up.

What experiences have you had at CMU that have made a significant impact on your learning in or out of the classroom? IMPACT helped me understand community building and let me see how we can all share our knowledge and develop leadership skills — a lot about making tough decisions for the greater good. And on the academic side, getting to work in the IT department, I know I’m learning skills in cybersecurity that will transfer to an

actual job later. Having those experiences puts me a level above my peers, and I can put that on my resume.

What would you like CMU’s Black alumni to know about what it’s like to be a Black student at CMU today? I would want people to know they’re not alone. Most of the classes you go into, you’re one of only one or two Black students, so that might give you kind of a chip on your shoulder. But as a smaller population on campus, everybody knows everybody. It’s a tight-knit community and I love that. You don’t see a lot of Black professors, but when you do see one, you feel a connection.

What would you say to a Person of Color considering enrolling at CMU? It’s a predominantly white institution, but that doesn’t define who you become. You get out of it what you put into it.

Holmes (center) during Leadership Safari.

Makayla Osborn

» Hometown: Born in Kalamazoo, raised in Battle Creek

» Studying: Dual major in cultural global studies with a certificate in cultural competency, and teaching (birth to kindergarten) and early childhood special education

» Expected graduation: December 2024

Why did you choose CMU? I first looked at CMU because I wanted to be a teacher. When I visited for a leadership conference my junior year of high school, I thought, “Oh, this is way better than I thought college was going to be!”

What do you like about CMU? I work as an inclusion assistant on campus, and my first year working in Residence Life, I started a program to host Black hair care events, giving out free products to students. Mount Pleasant doesn’t have a Black beauty supply store, so our program educates around Black hair care. That program has been beyond my wildest dreams. I did not expect to be running it — I didn’t expect I’d need to create it — but it’s grown bigger every single year. I’m proud to say we get a good amount of funding for it from the university, and I’m happy CMU values the program.

What experiences have you had at CMU that have made a significant impact on your learning in or out of the classroom? I took a class on racism and inequality in America through dialogue, and I really loved it. It’s why I signed up for the cultural studies major. I ended up becoming a facilitator for that class and it helped me figure out what I wanted to study. My goal is to teach for five years and then either go back for my master’s or work in administration. My goal is to be an equity inclusion advocate for schools. That class had a big impact on me — it was the first time I felt like I was having in-depth discussions about race and gender identity with people my age.

What would you like CMU’s Black alumni to know about what it’s like to be a Black student at CMU today? I feel like I’m very privileged to be in the know about what’s going on with the Black community on campus. But that wasn’t the case my freshman and sophomore

years — I felt very isolated. There are times I’ve been the only Person of Color in my classes, and that can be especially hard when the professor isn’t a Person of Color. Having access to mentors who look like me — and are in my field — is a real need. It’s something a lot of us on campus are missing.

What would you say to a Person of Color considering enrolling at CMU? I work in Admissions, so I actually have these conversations. What I say is when you get here as a Person of Color, you have to hit the ground running. Participating in IMPACT is important. Seeking out the Black community from the moment you’re on campus is important. Be mindful of the fact that CMU is a predominantly white institution and that comes with its challenges. >

Osborn (second from right) with some of her fellow campus ambassadors in Admissions.

Carnell Poindexter

» Hometown: Born in Detroit, raised in West Bloomfield

» Studying: Dual major in sociology and entrepreneurship with a minor in public law

» Expected graduation: Spring 2026

Why did you choose CMU? The MAC scholarship. It’s unique because it promotes diversity and it envelops you from the very beginning. You learn so fast about your neighbors and you gain quality relationships. It’s been an amazing experience. And CMU supported me

since day one with the application process — any question I had was answered practically before I even asked it. I could tell they wanted me to be here.

What do you like about CMU? I love the fact that if you want to do something, the only person stopping you from doing it is you. CMU will support you any way they can if you’re serious about it. They’ll put in what you put in. They want to see you succeed and they want to be part of that success with you. Not every university can say that.

What experiences have you had at CMU that have made a significant impact on your learning in or out of the classroom? I started an organization called Inner City Inclusion (a CMU student organization) a year ago because I saw that Black students believed college wasn’t an option for them. I wanted to change that narrative, and CMU wants to change that as well. Inner City Inclusion was founded to promote higher education in lower income communities within Detroit with FAFSA support, building relationships with students. Over the summer, we put up college insignia stickers in multiple Detroit Public Schools classrooms to get students thinking about college. They’re like a vision board — I had that, and I feel like it made a big difference for me.

What would you like CMU’s Black alumni to know about what it’s like to be a Black student at CMU today? Being a Black student at CMU is challenging. There’s not a lot of representation for us. We’re a small community, and it can be challenging to find your clique. A lot of Black students don’t see a lot of Black alumni or professionals in positions of power to look up to and that can be discouraging. But CMU lets us call them out on that — they take constructive criticism and I really appreciate that.

What would you say to a Person of Color considering enrolling at CMU? Go for it! CMU will help you any way they can. CMU is whatever you make it. If you want to change CMU, be part of the change. If you put effort into it, CMU will back you 100%. Whatever you want to do, CMU will help you do it because CMU wants you to succeed.

Inner City Inclusion participated in Operation Backpack, collecting more than 30 backpacks filled with supplies for Detroit Public School students.

Ku’Juana Quinn

» Hometown: Ypsilanti

» Studying: Dual major in sociology with a social and criminal justice concentration and political science; triple minoring in public law, leadership and philosophy, with a certificate in cultural competency

» Expected graduation: May 2024

Why did you choose CMU? Because of the community and the way I felt when I first toured campus. I’m a Leadership Advancement Scholar, and meeting the community there was wonderful, while also being welcomed into multiple communities across campus. The community at Central was more apparent and welcoming than other places.

What do you like about CMU? The opportunities to be the best I can be. I’ve been able to work with the Office of Multicultural Academic Student Services, with Res Life. I’ve grown my organization, I’ve risen to platforms I couldn’t have attained elsewhere. My peers and I are

putting on events, hosting Black History Month speakers, I’ve had the opportunity to grow as both a person and a leader.

What experiences have you had at CMU that have made a significant impact on your learning in or out of the classroom? I’m the president of the registered student organization Student Advocates for Prison Reform and the Incarcerated (SAPRI). The group is dedicated to educating students on mass incarceration and its effects. We’ve held events, led letter-writing campaigns, working to raise awareness in the hopes of bringing legal reform to the criminal justice system. I’m also a TA for Racism and Discrimination in America through Dialogue, working as a facilitator for that course.

What would you like CMU’s Black alumni to know about what it’s like to be a Black student at CMU today?

It’s very busy but it’s fun and rewarding. Everyone’s doing something. I don’t have a peer who’s not doing anything — whether they’re in an organization or doing the kinds of things I’m doing.

Making connections is very important on campus. Though there is a strong Black community, it can sometimes be difficult to make connections outside of it, but we’re a strong, close-knit community. What would you say to a Person of Color considering enrolling at CMU? Don’t be deceived by what you may have seen or heard. Visit campus. See if the community is right for you. Give it a chance. There are countless organizations on campus that want to help us succeed. I’ve had my fair share of mentors as a mentee, and I’m a mentor myself as well. Being a mentor now is important to me because once I leave, I’ll be entering law school and I won’t have as much time to be involved as I am now. People need to remember you can be a mentor without signing up for it — you never know when someone’s looking up to you. Act like people are watching you and think about whose dreams you’re making possible. •

Raising awareness on campus about Student Advocates for Prison Reform and the Incarcerated. Quinn (far right) is the RSO’s president.

Quinn was chosen to be a 2023 Homecoming Gold Ambassador.

‘Find your people and GIVE BACK’

CMU alumni are building bridges beyond the campus borders

For more than a century, CMU has developed graduates who not only excel in their professional fields but also create and nurture networks that transcend the boundaries of campus life.

From overcoming challenges to fostering inclusive communities, three CMU alumni share their journeys of professional success and the critical role of networking within the Black Alumni community.

Kerel Revis, ’06

Living in Trout Hall and dual majoring in marketing and logistics, Kerel Revis picked up a key life skill during his time at CMU.

“I was in Safari as a leader, and I feel like that definitely taught me how to roll with the punches,” he said. Sometimes when you’re in school, it’s hard to know how that will help you out. But it gave me the confidence to handle things — and the emotional maturity in professional settings — to work with all kinds of people.”

Thanks to his professors and experience at CMU, Revis set out on a career path focused on listening to customers, figuring out their challenges, and changing their behavior. He began working for Bayer right out of college, working in logistics and supply chain

management before shifting to marketing, and he stayed there for 13 years. When a merger between Bayer and Monsanto eliminated his job, Revis relied on his CMU experience to roll with the punches.

“You can’t foresee a layoff,” Revis said. “But the situations and programs I was involved with at Central prepared me to believe in myself and my abilities.”

Today, Revis lives in Philadelphia and is a client insights consultant with Circana, offering his expertise in consumer product data interpretation for several national beauty brands.

Beyond his professional success, Revis has leveraged his experiences to foster inclusion and belonging through his podcast, “Minoritea Report.”

“When I was laid off in 2019, I had the idea to do a podcast because it was something I could control,” he said. “At the time, there wasn’t a podcasting lane that showed the spectrum of being Black and queer.”

With more than 250 episodes under their belts, Revis, Dawon Hawkins and Jerrell Tate get together weekly to spill tea about the Black LGBTQIA+ experience, relationships, Beyonce, politics, sports and pop culture.

For Revis, it’s all about building community — whether through the podcast or via CMU’s Black Alumni Chapter.

“Engagement is critical. Central might not be the most diverse university on Earth, but being able to tap into that network

personally and professionally is huge,” he said. “Having folks who look and sound like you and can relate to your experiences is so important, especially post college.”

His message to prospective and current CMU students? “Find your people and give back. Pour into them so you can get poured into when you need it.”

Morgan Stephens, ’21

Morgan Stephens’ path to becoming a policy analyst in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office was marked by the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic during her time as a student at CMU.

“When I was coming out of school, people were going back to the office after spending two years online,” Stephens said. “It was like we were all learning how to enter the workforce together. Everybody had to learn how to ‘people’ again.”

Stephens earned her degree in communications with minors in event management and leadership. When she came to CMU — after growing up in Livonia and Canton — she was a public relations major but was unsure of where she was headed.

“I had Dr. Alysa Lucas for an introductory

communications class my first semester and her energy was so infectious. She made communications seem exciting.”

Stephens switched her major. And her path toward the communications profession became clear with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.

“George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, specifically, pushed me into politics,” she said.

Her capstone class — also with Lucas — gave her the opportunity to dive deep into a research project, and she found her calling.

“I’m a literal thinker. Once I find something, I have to figure out the meaning behind it,” she said. “That’s really what my job is today — it’s one big research project. How can we figure out what systems we have in place, what’s working, and what isn’t working or what don’t we have?”

Stephens said working in policy allows her to be involved in change for the state of Michigan. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since I was in elementary school as a safety helping people cross the street. I’ve always wanted to help people live, learn and play — wherever I am.”

She said although she’s just three years into her professional career, her network has grown rapidly thanks to her job and the CMU alumni community.

“I’ve met all kinds of people from CMU who are Black and working in so many fields, it’s amazing,” she said. “When you go to CMU, sometimes it can feel like it’s a small town and it can feel isolating for a Person of Color. You don’t always feel connected.”

But Stephens said it was that search for connection — from friends, peers and mentors to finding familiar items on store shelves — that built her community.

“CMU is the place I learned to do my own hair,” Stephens said. “There were no Black hairstylists or Black hair care stores around, so I formed a community with my girls and we’d all do our hair together. Those are connections I’ll have for the rest of my life.”

Stephens said being proactive is key. For her that means the first step is choosing CMU.

“You can go with CMU,” she said. “I don’t know where you’re going, but you can go because of CMU.”

Adam Wall, ’03, M.A. ’05

Adam Wall’s path from psychology and history undergraduate to an advocate for mental health wellness and equity in disenfranchised communities speaks to the transformative power of a CMU education.

What about his time at CMU prepared him for the work he does today?

“Everything,” he said.

His experiences as a student-athlete, resident assistant and graduate student shaped him into a professional deeply invested in creating inclusive environments. Wall is the associate director and ADA coordinator in the Office of Institutional Equity at Western Michigan University, where he performs functions related to state and federal compliance, including facilitating the university’s affirmative action program, investigating allegations of protected class discrimination, and facilitating accommodations for employees.

He attributes his comprehensive skill set and professional ethos to his time at CMU — both academically and socially.

Wall walked onto the cross country team his freshman year. “Being a studentathlete is confining in some ways because of the schedule, but I had a peer group that was accessible and immediate.”

It was during his master’s program, studying what’s now called clinical mental health within counselor education, that Wall says his path emerged.

“The academic programs, the faculty, it all came together for me,” he said. “I really came to life academically.”

Wall credits CMU with shaping him into a skilled professional — and a better human being. It’s something that he hopes is visible for current and prospective CMU students.

“There are so many Black CMU alumni around the world doing amazing things,” Wall said. “It’s important for people to see alumni who have moved into visible roles, but there are also lots of other exceptional people doing meaningful work in so many areas. That sense of belonging, of connectedness, of doing meaningful work is powerful for people of all levels to see.”

For students considering choosing CMU, Wall urges them to be intentional and deliberate in their decision-making.

“CMU is a place where you can do very well. It has its challenges, but it also has its gifts. You can go to school at Central Michigan and graduate and come out a better human, a competent professional, and you’ll be connected to a network of people bigger than yourself,” he said.

“You’ll have the opportunity to explore hobbies and interests you might not have imagined, and you’ll have support,” he continued. “CMU is rich with generations of Black people who have made meaningful careers, had valuable experiences, and they can say with certainty that Central Michigan deserves credit for its part in shaping and creating that for us.”

He challenges Black alumni — himself included — to do a better job at staying connected and uplifting each other.

“It’s a difficult time in the country — and globally — but the group has always done well by sticking together and taking care of each other and elevating each other,” he said. “I’m hoping the re-emergence of the Black Alumni Chapter at CMU makes people think, ‘Now what do we do next?’ There is a shared responsibility here.” •

BLACK HISTORY at CMU

Across the decades, Black students at CMU have formed groups, planned events, led marches, organized fundraisers, and created ways to include, support and uplift each other, enriching communities across campus and throughout the region.

Take a trip through the university’s historical photo archives and revisit some milestones and memorable moments of Black excellence at Central Michigan University.

FIRST BLACK STUDENTS

It’s difficult to know for certain who CMU’s very first Black student was, but archives point to a couple of possibilities:

Emma Norman Todd was a descendant of the Old Settlers — a pioneering group of African Americans who settled in Isabella, Mecosta and Montcalm counties before the Civil War.

Todd began attending what was then the Central Michigan Normal School in 1907, completed her studies in 1910 and became a teacher.

Records received by CMU in 2022 show that Fannie Baty, whose father was enslaved in Virginia and whose mother was born free, attended Central in 1901, earning a certificate.

FIRST BLACK STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT

Lem Tucker (1959-1960): In fact, Tucker was the first Black person elected student body president at any college or university in the state of Michigan. He became one of NBC’s first African American television network reporters in 1965. A journalism scholarship bears his name.

FIRST BLACK BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBER

Lloyd Cofer (1964-1980): He served from the very first meeting of the board until his death. He was also the first Black chair of the board of trustees. A scholarship in the MAC Scholars Program bears his name.

FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT

George Ross (2010-2018)

1969

1973

1970

1972

Students gather for a Vietnam War moratorium protest on campus.

The university hosts a Black symposium.

Connie Wilson was the first Black student crowned homecoming queen at CMU.

Black History Week events held on campus.

1991

Students held a Martin Luther King Jr. freedom march on campus.

2004

Get Acquainted Day held on campus.

2010

Students speak at the MLK Jr. Day brunch.

2012

CMU President George Ross speaks at the MLK Jr. Day March to Downtown.

2016

IMPACT welcomes incoming freshmen and transfer students to campus in the fall.

2017

Opening ceremony for IMPACT.

2018

MLK Community Peace Brunch honorees.

2018

Performers in the Sankofa Pan African Show.

“This award allows students to pursue their dreams. Personally, I am working three jobs and going to school full time. Awards like this help students like me.”

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