SC Diversity Journey

exploring our diversity journey

May 2, 2019

#SCDiversityJourney

II.

Diversity: how do we stack up?

Hill and Lundquist address current state of campus

By Tirzah McMillan Since 1885, Springfield College’s mission has been to educate the whole person in mind, body, and spirit for leadership in service to others.

But until recent years, this mission has mostly applied to a relatively homogeneous population—white, male-dominated, heterosexual, and cis-gender.

With the development of the Division of Inclusion and Community Engagement, small strides have been made in the right direction, but there are still various challenges the campus must grapple with before it can fully diversify its membership.

Springfield’s Diversity Statement reads in part: “...We believe our campus is stronger when all persons, regardless of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, socioeconomic status, size, diversity of thought, or veteran status feel secure.

We hold all members responsible for creating and maintaining a welcoming and safe Springfield College community.”

According to Vice President of Inclusion and Community Engagement, Dr. Calvin Hill, “We’re not where we wanna be, but we’re get-

(From left to right) Felicia Lundquist, Kathleen Morris, and Calvin Hill at the Stoling and Achievement Ceremony.

ting closer.”

Who are Felicia Lundquist and Calvin Hill?

In order for the college to successfully tackle such a complex task, leadership is required.

Both Calvin Hill and Felicia Lundquist, Director of Multicultural Affairs, have transitioned into their roles gracefully, and because of their presence many new advances have been made to improve the culture and tradition at Springfield.

“My role is strategically charged with looking at the campus from an inclusive standpoint of looking at faculty and staff hires, issues of curriculum, [and] how we do things from a social

justice standpoint,” said Hill.

“Felicia creates that student engagement on campus, [she] is that hands-on person for students doing speaker series, [educational courses], and the cultural connections programming to really create that climate that’s conducive to students’ success,” Hill explained as he looked earnestly through his thickly square framed, black glasses.

“Something that is really important to mention is that there’s a lot of collaboration,” explained Lundquist about her role in Multicultural Affairs. “My office works across campus with many different departments, currently we’re working with the YMCA and we

Photo courtesy of Springfield College Flikr

are going to be a part of Diversity Inclusion Global Networking,” she continued. “And creating a student and faculty staff advisory board where we’re looking at globalization and issues that are faced by many people in the context of our community.”

Although both of their positions bleed into outreach, Hill recognizes that Lundquist’s strength is her influential involvement within the student body.

“I don’t do a lot of student engagement,” he admitted. “My role is really to create policies and programs that make faculty, staff, and students feel like this is a space where they can play, work, and thrive.”

As marginalized indi-

viduals, Hill and Lundquist are passionate about creating an environment where all feel safe and welcomed, but both agree that everyone should take part in setting that sort of atmosphere.

“Felicia and I are on the same page that [we] don’t need to have that sole responsibility,” said Hill. “[We] want more and more people across campus to feel like it’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure that our faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds are supported.”

Lundquist believes that to accomplish this, individuals need to feel like they have a safe place to cultivate change.

“There’s certainly areas of improvement, but I also see a lot of things that we’ve done to create a more inclusive community,” she said. “Empowering students to feel like they can be active is one way in doing that.”

Fortunately, overall awareness on DNI (diversity and inclusion) has increased significantly as of late. “I think that we’re making some positive strides, specifically over the course of the last ten years within higher education,” mentioned Hill.

“We’ve expanded the way we think about diversity and inclusion.”

How diverse is

May 2, 2019

Springfield College?

Based on Springfield College’s official Factbook, from 2015 to 2018 both the student and faculty populations are still overwhelmingly white, but becoming more diverse.

Over the three-year span for undergraduates, the Hispanic population has grown from 132 to 189, American Indian Alaskan Native has remained at 6, Black/African American has grown from 113 to 122, Asian has grown from 21 to 62, Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander population has decreased from 3 to 2, Two or more races increased from 35 to 48, Non-Resident has dropped from 61 to 49, Unknown has grown from 38 to 98, and the White population has decreased from 1751 to 1553.

When comparing sta-

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tistics for faculty, Hispanic population has grown from 8 to 10, American Indian Alaskan Native has remained at 0, Black/African American has grown from 10 to 14, Asian increased from 6 to 9, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander has stayed at 0, Two or more races remained at 0, Non-Resident has stayed at 0, Unknown has grown from 8 to 9, and the White population has dropped from 179 to 167.

With that being said, diversity is slowly increasing across the board, but as of 2018, 72.9 percent of the student body, and 79.5 percent of all faculty are white.

“I think part of it historically is you have to look who the institution was designed for, and moving forward it takes work to change those policies and practices,” said Lundquist as the silver bracelets on her

wrist jangled gently. “We still have some that favor dominant groups, and part of that dominant group are white folks and also men.”

If anyone were to spend a day on Springfield’s campus one would quickly notice that over 70 percent of all faculty and students are White, but the disparity between men and women has notably gotten smaller since its founding.

“I think part of it is unraveling some of our history which is not inclusive, and the policies and practices that don’t favor those that are coming from marginalized groups,” explained Lundquist, who is exploring methods that are working towards change.

“It takes micromovements, it takes time, so we’re not quite there yet,” she said. “While Springfield is very diverse, Springfield Col-

lege racially is not as diverse, so it might not be attractive to some folks if they know they are going to come into a community that’s not reflective of who they are, and that’s challenging.”

In addition to recognizing the past, Hill suggests redefining DNI in its entirety.

“When I was in college, the way that we thought about diversity was really kind of black and white,” Hill recalled.

“So the way that we think about diversity and inclusion today on campus, it’s really about the diversity of race, class, of gender identity and the way we express ourself, spiritual identity, and internationalization.”

In the current political climate, and with the increasing cost of higher education, fewer international students are taking up visas to study abroad, and those who

SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE DIVERSITY IN 2018

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Is lander: 0 .0 % American Indian/ Alas kan Native: 0 .0 % No n Res ident: 2.3% Two o r mo re races : 2.3% As ian: 2.9 % Ethnicity Unkno wn: 4 .6 % Black o r African American: 5 .7% His panic/Latino : 8 .9 %

have the ability to study at Springfield College are not well integrated into the community.

“I see that with international students, they’re always with each other; I don’t see [the] majority of our [traditional] students reaching out,” observed Hill after eating many times in Cheney Hall and speaking with the student body.

“Too many times we think of international students as being exotic and the other and we kind of keep them at a distance,” Hill said.

“We’ve gotta do a much better job of trying to get our international students interwoven into who we are as a campus community,” he continued. “I think we try here on campus, but it really also has to be a desire on behalf of our students to get to know people that are different from themselves.”

If the Springfield College mission is to be lived out, inclusion and engagement has to begin at the student level, and be provided for all, by all.

“The more you get to know someone from a different culture, the better you’re gonna be as a human being,” explained Hill. “And until we really try to make that part of who we are, we’re not gonna be successful.”

What steps are being taken to improve Diversity and Inclusion?

White: 73.2%

White Hispanic/Latino Asian Two or more races Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

III.

Black or African American Ethnicity Unknown Non Resident American Indian/ Alaskan Native meta-chart.com

“One of our key goals is specifically looking at Continued on page 10

May 2, 2019

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IV.

King for a (very special) day

1964 commencement speech brought American history to campus

By Tanner Jillson While people often associate Springfield College as the Birthplace of Basketball, it is also linked to one of the greatest activists in American history.

Just ten months after his March on Washington and five months from accepting the Nobel Peace prize, Martin Luther King Jr. would come to Springfield, Mass. looking to inspire a revolution. At the apex of his fame, King was asked by then Springfield College President Glenn Olds to deliver the commencement speech to the college’s 1964 graduating class.

“I regard Martin Luther King’s speech at Springfield College as the greatest day in Springfield College history,” said Martin Dobrow, professor of communications at Springfield College. “The event came at a very intense time in U.S. history--particularly when you consider the tension of race relations throughout the country.”

Yet, it almost didn’t happen. There was an extreme amount of pushback from a number of people about inviting King to the college, including the F.B.I. Olds dealt with that pressure and followed through with his request, setting

the graduation date for June 14.

The resistance to get King to Springfield didn’t stop there. On June 11, three days before he was supposed to address the graduating class, King was arrested in St. Augustine, Fla. for ordering food at a whites-only establishment. He would spend those three days leading up to the graduation in jail.

“According to Glenn Olds, if they had not released Martin Luther King from jail, he was going to send someone down to St. Augustine with a tape recorder and record the speech from the jail,” Dobrow said.

Whether or not this occurred, the fact remains that King was released on bail three days after his arrest and would immediately journey to Springfield. *** Robert Markarian, the director of teacher education at Springfield College from 1953 to 1977, spent most of the day with King on the day of commencement. He escorted him from the airport to the Field House where commencement would take place. King was spotted by people in the audience. The crowd began a thunderous applause in celebration of his arrival.

Photo courtesy of Springfield College Archives

“There wasn’t a lot of diversity on campus at the time,” said Barry Brooks, member of the 1964 graduating class in an interview with W.G.B.Y. “There was some (diversity), but it seemed like a special gift to us that our favorite person, our hero, was going to be the speaker.”

King was met with a second standing ovation as he approached the podium after Olds introduced him. He began by stating how “delighted” he was to be at the com-

mencement, and with a laugh explained that he was not sure if he was going to make it.

King stated his appreciation for the College and Glenn Olds in his opening remarks. “I appreciate all that this college represents for the cultural and humanitarian life of our nation and the world,” he said. “I’m deeply aware of this rich and great tradition.”

During his speech, King spoke of the responsibility people have to take action in a revo-

lution. He made a comparison regarding racial integration to the story of “Rip Van Winkle.”

“Rip Van Winkle slept through a revolution,” King said, summarizing the famous short story by Washington Irving. “And a great social revolution is among us... We are challenged with achieving a world perspective...

Any nation who decides to live in isolation is sleeping through a revolution.”

King challenged his Continued on page 12

May 2, 2019

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V.

What’s in a team name?

Mascot controversy part of Springfield College story

By Grace Berry Having that one specific symbol around a team is crucial, but what if that team nickname sparks controversy?

Washington Redskins, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Blackhawks. All of these names may serve as a team identity, but they also portray the people who originated them: those who identify as Native American.

Native American names and imagery have been used for numerous sports for many years without much thought.

However, while fans of teams with these names may not see a problem with their mascots, other people consider them to have racist implications. Seeing a cartoonized Native American can be problematic to younger indigenous peoples’ identities--and the way that Native people are perceived by others..

In a 2013 article from the Washington Post, a representative from the Oneida Indian Nation, Ray Halbritter, was quoted saying, “The use of such an offensive term has negative consequences for the Native American community when it comes to issues of self-identity and imagery.”

Professional sports teams for the most part have resisted pressure to change their Native American mascots, but there has been a substantial amount of change on the collegiate level.

Over the past 30 years, more and more colleges have been changing their Native American mascots. Back in 2005, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, better known as the NCAA, required all participating schools to evaluate if there was any offensive imagery involved with their mascots. At the end of this investigation, the NCAA concluded that 19 schools contained “hostile and abusive names, mascots, and images,” and required each school to change its nickname. Big name schools such as Arkansas State University were the Indians, but then became the Red Wolves, Northeastern State University

was once the Redmen then switched to the RiverHawks, and Quinnipiac University was originally the Braves, but changed to the Bobcats.

Years before the NCAA conducted these investigations, Springfield College had its own confrontation with the issue. From 1967 through the early ‘90s, the Springfield College men’s teams were commonly known as the “Chiefs.”

Up until the early 1990s, there wasn’t a wide-scale controversy about the “Chiefs” nickname. Students wore apparel with a cartoon Native American male. Male student-athletes wore jerseys with what was designed to represent a stern looking Native American “Chief ” across the front. Every time student-athletes walked onto the field, they were introduced as the Springfield College Chiefs.

It wasn’t until 1994 that former president Dr. Randolph Bromery introduced the idea of changing the mascot to something less controversial. While this may have seemed like a progressive move on the part of Springfield College, many current students at the time, as well as alumni, were not so quick to jump on board with the initiative.

The Co-Sports Editor of The Spring-

field Student in 1994, Matt Siegel, was a strong voice against the name change. In a column titled “Perspective: In Spirit, Mind & Body, Keep the Chiefs,” Siegel wrote what he believed to be a solid argument to maintain the “Chief ” nickname.

“The Indians are upset with the nickname Chiefs, that it is demeaning. Is it demeaning to dolphins that Miami uses them as their mascot? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be known as the Springfield College Grey Squirrels,” he wrote.

Many alumni shared similar beliefs. The main argument seemed to stem from the traditionalist aspect of the long-standing nickname, without taking into consideration how this would affect Native Americans.

Professor of Sociology at Springfield College, Dr. Laurel Davis Delano, studies the topic of Native American mascots, and was on campus during the time of the name change. She explained that there is such a thing as a “positive stereotype”.

While these stereotypes may not seem detrimental on the outside, they are actually hurting the targeted group.

“A huge problem with the mascot issue Continued on page 12

A LEGACY OF CAMPUS ACTIVISM

By Kris Rhim Across the country in the 1960s, people were challenging the government and demanding change like never before. The Vietnam War dominated the decade, with large anti-war demonstrations versus those of pro war. At the same time, the civil rights movement reached its peak and leaders like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were killed.

During this time, young people fearlessly took the figurative baton from their elders and made the fight for equal rights their own.

In 1960, four students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University sat in at Woolworth’s in Greensboro and were joined by 300

others after three days. This sparked sit-ins all over the country. In ‘68 there were student takeovers of buildings at Howard University and Columbia University, among others.

Things were changing at Springfield College too. The Birthplace hadn’t had much history when it came to student activism. Martin Luther King was the only relation the school had to the civil rights movement when he spoke at 1964 commencement. It was always known for its strong Physical Education program, and as it is now, a school where almost everyone played a sport.

At the end of the decade, that began to change. Springfield became a school filled with student activism, and protests became the norm.

There were two dramatic takeovers of the Administration building, one of Massasoit Hall, and an almost five-day long hunger strike. Close to 70 Springfield College students were arrested because of their protests and the campus was changed forever.

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VIII.

What it means to be a man

Anthony Hill defines the concept of healthy masculinity

By Vin Gallo His ambition has never changed. Dr. Anthony Hill has always wanted to help others.

As he took to the front of a Locklin Hall classroom that night, it became quickly apparent to the roughly 35 attendees of his 6:30 p.m. lecture that the man teaching, wearing a dark blue button down shirt with dark navy pants, was a man of passion.

“Good evening, everyone!” Hill said with enthusiasm, his booming voice carrying across the room.

After a long Monday, the audience initially gave only a murmur of acknowledgment back.

But, Hill wasn’t going to settle for a tepid response.

“Oh, you gotta work with me,” he said, grinning. “Good evening!”

This time, those in attendance at the Springfield College Men of Excellence program’s event snapped to life.

“Good evening!”

It was early April, 2019. Springfield College’s annual Humanics Lecture was one week away. Hill was going to be speaking as

Photo courtesy of Springfield College Flikr

the honorary Humanics professor.

He gave his audience another smile, and away he went. The topic of discussion that particular night was a heavy one, the lecture entitled, “Does Toxic Masculinity Lead to Sexual Assault?”

Making sense of the subject surrounding the socialization of men has been a focus of Hill’s for decades.

It has been his quest to replace any influence of toxic masculinity, or the restricting norms for men within a ‘box’ of limited and usually damaging traits, within his community.

The initial goal towards achieving this

is to first define, and then change, the answer of one specific question.

A question that can either move a man forward, or hold him back.

“What does it mean to be a man?” King said.

Hill’s goal is to discuss phrases with young people, such as ‘be a man,’ and the stereotypical ‘man box’ -- which constrains males from showing emotion, and from expressing weakness. It can trap them.

The opposite term,‘healthy masculinity,’ brings the concept of expressing

oneself with emotion not limited to anger, and replaces any violent tendencies with compassion.

Throughout his time at Springfield College, Hill has worked to create a space for men to express themselves. He also looks to help his students contribute as positive role models -for the children of the present and the future.

“Dr. Hill has brought the ability for young men to create a space to think about issues of masculinity, issues of self-care, issues of reflection,” Dr. David Rudder, the advisor for the Men of Excellence, said. “And (he has offered an) opportunity

for men to think about where they want to go in life, and be sensitive to dealing with hard questions. Normally there’s not a space to have those conversations. He’s helped to cultivate that.”

Throughout his lecture at Locklin Hall, Hill preached that a man’s willingness to embrace sensitivity and emotion when faced with pain or distress is an initial step in creating healthy environments. Hill believes that norms for men need to stretch beyond the limited character of the phrase, ‘be a man.’

“He’s taught us a lot about (toxic masculinity) and what it has meant to be a man, and how we should get rid of those social norms,” Kris Rhim, a student member of the Men of Excellence, said.

“He’s helped the club do things that make us feel like we have a purpose.

These talks about toxic masculinity and bringing in these speakers really makes us a serious club, and lets people know that we’re actually trying

May 2, 2019

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IX.

A place to call home?

International students face invisible borders

By Mateo Aycardi

Growing up in Colombia was an incredible experience.

With everyone in my family living nearby, my childhood was filled with adventures with cousins and close friends.

One of the things I remember most fondly is the fact that most of our time was spent outside, often times playing soccer or setting up small get-togethers where we could play the latest FIFA games.

As I grew up, I began to realize how lucky I was. I imagined myself following in the footsteps of my father in the neurology field. To him, being a doctor was a full-time commitment, and his passion for finding the next person to help was inspiring to say the least. He set up a private practice and was widely considered the best neurologist specializing in headaches in the country. While I was happy potentially following his legacy, there was something that would change the trajectory of my professional pursuits sooner rather than later. *** American culture was incredibly appealing. We’d all heard the ideas back home: America is the land of fresh perspectives, where freedom and diversity perfectly coexist to further drive the nation in its pursuit of liberty and equal opportunity.

It was certainly nothing more than a pipe dream of making the trip to our neighbors to the North, though. After all, we had a big family and very little means at that point in time to really be able to afford such a continental move.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my brief existence, it’s how unpredictable life can be.

Ernesto Aycardi (my father) is one of the hardest working human beings I have ever met. As a man of principles, he had worked meticulously, until he received an offer to relocate the entire lot of us to Warren, New Jersey. His work as a neurologist eventually landed him tremendous fame. But, his work also brought about the single most terrifying moment of my life.

After moving to the States on precisely my 9th birthday, life quickly became as unpredictable as I had ever experienced.

I no longer had the liberty of openly communicating my exact thoughts to those around me. In fact, my vocabulary was largely made up of simple phrases to help me get around as best as I could throughout my day. My friendships and relationships with others certainly suffered because of it. But as I quickly came to realize, my aptitude for picking things up quickly would serve me well in my pursuit of integration.

One and a half years passed and I had finally become fluent in English. I saw myself as more American than anything, but continued to speak Spanish at home and with my siblings. To everyone on the outside though, I looked like an ordinary 10-year-old who had grown up in the system just like anybody else.

And, after another 12 years, I think I can safely say there is nothing about me that would scream “foreigner” to a stranger on the streets.

Looking back at all the memories, friendships, and knowledge I’ve acquired in my time in the U.S., I now realize that the feeling I’d initially experienced was something that a great deal of international students might be going through

when coming to Springfield College.

While the birthplace of basketball is known as the home to diversity and inclusion, there is unfortunately another side to the coin. There are a number of students who feel that the setting they’ve chosen doesn’t value them and help them thrive in the ways that they need. To people like Jay Sophalkalyan, an international student from Cambodia, self-segregation and the mandatory restrictions imposed on them by their institution can become very harmful to their culture.

“I think that self-segregation where people hang out with their own group is very dangerous,” Sophalkalyan said.

“One thing I’ve noted is that international students will only hang out with international students, and American students will only hang out with American students. Coming over here it feels a lot different from what I expected.”

Weiying Chen, an international student who previously studied at Beijing Sports University, felt similarly about self-segregation sentiments. To her, this issue is most closely linked to those with Asian cultures and their experiences in America, due to the volume of students who come from China and neighboring countries.

“We have like 20 Chinese students on my floor,” Chen shared. “But I think for me personally, I choose to get out of my comfort zone. I feel like the only thing that really helped was NSO. Most of my best friends are from there. I know that a lot of Chinese students feel embarrassed to speak English. It’s nice for them, because you won’t feel alone, but since you have so many friends that are Chinese, then you don’t really try to talk to those American students.”

Continued on page 13

May 2, 2019

Continued from page 3 increasing visible and invisible diversity on campus,” said Hill. “Both in terms of faculty, and in terms of students.”

The pace of progress has been slow, but the efforts are tremendous.

Hill has begun by implementing bias reduction workshops for faculty, search and selection training in hiring, core recruiting for incoming students, and has used his background as a Baptist minister’s son to deepen his involvement and broaden his perspective on faith traditions at the college level.

“Martha Potvin, our provost, and I brought a group to talk to faculty about the biases that we have as individuals that can negatively impact who we ultimately decide to bring in for phone interviews, campus interviews, and hire for

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the positions,” explained Hill. “We also started doing a search and selection training [that] has been really helpful because it gives faculty and staff a toolkit,” he continued.

“It gives them questions that they can perhaps ask to help gauge someone’s perspective and background, and it creates an opportunity for human resources and myself to look at who is applying for positions.”

To meet the goal of diversifying the workforce, Hill has Human Resources pull departmental data on employees in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity so that his colleagues and the President’s Leadership Team can look at where they are lacking, so they can further improve.

“We’ve also been doing some work called core recruiting,” Hill said. “Understanding that having two, three, four people

from a school is actually better than just having one person come from you know, New Jersey by themself because you’re more likely to connect and stay when you feel like you’re part of a community within a larger community.”

Hill also makes an effort to speak with families about the value of diversity and inclusion on campus. With his professional suit, red bowtie, and welcoming aura, he kindly urges parents and students alike that when one goes out into the world of work, connections are made with people from all backgrounds, so having an opportunity to have those dialogues now is absolutely critical.

Equally as important, is the understanding that each person who arrives on campus has a different way of expressing their beliefs, which deserves respect regardless of

personal opinion.

“More students than not are coming in not having a faith tradition, so allowing them an opportunity to explore is absolutely critical,” said Hill. “Having an opportunity to understand what you believe and speak to individuals that are Jewish, or Muslim, allows you to gain an appreciation of their faith tradition as well,” Hill continued with excitement.

Hill’s daughter is a senior in high school, and venturing on college tours with her as she is about to open a new chapter in her life has inspired him to view the concept of cultural and spiritual identity with new eyes.

“College is a time of transformation; it’s about the opportunity to find sort of who you are and be able to grow into that,” Hill explained.

Springfield College Faculty Diversity

Ethnicity Unkno wn: 4 .3% As ian: 4 .3%

Native Hawaiian o r Other Pacific Is lander: 0 .0 % American Indian/Alas kan Native: 0 .0 %

His panic/Latino : 4 .8 % Black o r African American: 6 .7%

White: 79 .8 %

White Black or African American Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity Unknown Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander American Indian/Alaskan Native

Asian

meta-chart.com

X.

“Our role here on campus is to make sure that we create opportunities for students to be able to live that and gain that deeper appreciation however they choose.”

Lundquist on the other hand has honed in on educating the public about inclusive language, advocating for reciprocal relationships in future cultural connections, heightened awareness for trans inclusion, and more support of student activism.

“We did a workshop on the difference between inclusive language and being politically correct.

[Being politically correct] is something society has set out so you may or may not believe that,” explained Lundquist.

“But inclusive language is something that you buy into, that you want to use to take the initiative to be inclusive,” she continued.

“That’s something that I see continuing in terms of our progression of being more inclusive, is creating spaces where we’re using inclusive language.”

In her last four years, Lundquist has seen campus programming expand, and the college has become more inclusive in terms of looking at social identities and membership groups.

“Right now we’ve been looking at trans inclusion and housing opportunities for individuals that identify as trans,” she revealed. “These are things that I think a few years ago folks weren’t talking about at all, and if they were it was a very small

May 2, 2019

amount of folks having that discussion.”

In terms of identity the campus is expanding, but the topic is still looked at from a very heteronormative perspective.

In order to improve, the populations that Springfield College are serving need to be represented, and students need to feel empowered so they can act in accordance.

“I think student activism is increasing,” noted Lundquist proudly. “I don’t see Springfield College being a campus like my alma mater UMass, where students were taking over buildings and protesting, but I do see students engaged and interested in creating and cultivating change,” she said. “I think that we need to value activism as a form of scholarship.”

Lundquist spoke gently, but passionately – student engagement is something that nourishes her soul.

“Many of our students are first generation college students coming from working class backgrounds and for them to do this work as volunteerism is not fair because they have to also go out and work,” stated Lundquist. “So why not get paid to do that, or why not offer scholarships for students that are active and doing things in the community.”

In which direction will Springfield be heading in the next 15-20 years?

“We need another person in Multicultural Affairs, Dr. Hill,” said Lund-

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quist over her shoulder as a small fit of laughter was shared between them. “We’re gonna have a Center of Inclusion.”

They both smiled.

The work demand between both Hill and Lundquist can at times be a tiresome burden, and requires emotional labor, but their tree too will one day bear fruit.

“When you look at issues of trans identity, we’re gonna have more faculty and students that identify as trans on campus, and we need to make sure we’re ready for that change,” said Hill. “I think class is going to be perhaps our biggest and our next significant issue,” he proposed. “If I had a crystal ball, if I was thinking about where campuses are going to be looking at I think social economics is going to be a huge issue for us,” Hill continued with clear thought and consideration.

“I think trans identity, trans inclusion is gonna be a significant issue for us to explore, [and] the race issue continues to be prevalent, but I think it will probably not be at the forefront.”

In addition to changes being made on the administrative level, Lundquist envisions a diversified climate in the classroom.

“I think we’ll definitely see a lot more social justice education woven into all classes so that for people it’s just second nature in terms of what they’re teaching,” she explained.

“Being able to see the intersections of identity and the politics within

the coursework is something that will be important,” Lundquist went on as the nose ring on the right side of her face shimmered underneath the overhead lights.

“I also envision with my crystal ball that there will be intergroup dialogues where it will be less uncomfortable and more part of the norm [to have] conversations around social justice, equity, and access,” she said.

“I definitely would advocate to see a center for inclusion where students can be in a space where it feels safe, and it’s their space.”

What can be taken away from this conversation and how can it continue?

“Part of what we have to do is understand that this is a journey,” said Hill. “One of the things I ultimately hope is that you will take back the experiences that you had as students on a college campus, and make sure that your children are much more prepared than perhaps you were,” he said optimistically.

“To be on a campus that is diverse and vibrant and global.”

On a daily basis Hill and Lundquist challenge their students and faculty members to embrace the difficulty of reprogramming their socialization.

New growth does not come without growing pains.

“We want you to embrace diversity and inclusion,” stated Hill.

“And we have to in some respects reprogram for

those of us that have not had those lived experiences where we’ve been able to think more broadly.”

For Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award recipient Kathleen Morris, immersing oneself into an environment where diversity is not prevalent can be a challenge, but doing nothing about it is harder than trying to make a difference.

“From what I’ve seen, there do seem to be some efforts being made to diversify Springfield College,” recalled Morris.

“Programming like the speaker Leon Ford, who last year came and shared his experience with police brutality, is evidence of that,” she continued.

“But on the other hand, there’s still work to be done. It’s no secret that the student body isn’t as diverse as it could potentially be, and there are some departments that have practically no professors of color.”

As a commuter, Morris’ perspective of the campus is slightly different than that of a traditional student — alongside being a woman of color —but she has noticed the progression being made for a more inclusive future.

“In any case, I feel that there’s always room for improvement and growth in any setting,” Morris explained. “But I truly think [the college] is working towards it, and that’s comforting to know.”

A key in finding balance to maintain harmony within a diverse setting is to build reciprocal

XI.

relationships. Everyone must acknowledge each other’s needs and different experiences so that there is adequate representation.

“When we talk about inclusion, where we are going, where we have been, and where we’re gonna be, part of that conversation is that we really need to look at the intersections of identity,” explained Lundquist. “And also looking at how we leverage our privilege to help with the cause, whatever that cause might be,” She kept speaking as a soft smile formed on her lips.

“It’s a slow journey and I always tell folks that as long as we’re moving in small steps, we’re moving in the right direction,” Lundquist said. “As long as we’re not stagnant, we’re good.”

Progress is being made, but micromovements are the only way Springfield College will essentially reach its goal.

“I don’t believe that we’re where we ultimately want to be, we’re gonna make mistakes each and every day, and I think even as a United States we’ve been struggling with this whole concept of inclusion,” said Hill.

“We just need to continue to think about how we can be better, how we can treat each other better, how we can engage each other better, and how our language can be more inclusive.”

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Continued from page 5 is that nobody is intending harm, and they don’t consciously have negative feelings about them,” she said. “Thus, many people have trouble understanding why there are problems. They don’t know the research findings, and they don’t understand how these so-called ‘positive stereotypes’ can be harmful.”

Davis-Delano explains that some of the ways these mascots can be harmful to Native Americans include “lowered self-esteem, lowered capacity to imagine one’s own Native American community to make a difference, and experiencing more stress/ anxiety.”

Further, Davis-Delano adds, the “research demonstrates that exposure to these mascots reinforces stereotypes among non-Native people” and that they “generate a hostile climate for Native Americans.”

Not every student-athlete on campus was considered to be a “Chief.” The female student-athletes were called the “Maroons.” Even though the female nickname was more commonly associated with the color, it still had a negative connotation in some circles. Maroon, also meaning “fugitive black slave,” was deemed problematic for the women’s sports teams.

A 1998 log of the “Nickname Committee’s” minutes explained the frustration female student-athletes had on campus during the time of the gender distinction.

A member of the committee was quoted explaining, “Before we became the Pride, the media didn’t know what to call women on campus.”

The College not only wanted to remove the “maroon” name, it also wanted to have a united mascot, something that “Chief ” didn’t allow.

At the time of the proposed name change, the College put out two surveys to understand what the community would want as the new mascot. One went to alumni members first, then another went to current students.

The question on the alumni survey was simple: which of these nicknames should be the new mascot? The four options included the Athletics, the Pioneers, the Spirit, or the Pride.. Not all, but a large

number of alums voted for something not even on the ballot. They wrote in “the Chiefs.” Because of this result, the student survey only consisted of two options: the Chiefs or the Pride. The final tally counted 736 students in favor of maintaining the Chiefs, while only 22 people voted for the less-popular Pride.

Despite a robust write-in campaign to retain the ‘Chiefs’ nickname, the school opted to go with the Pride. Even though it didn’t have much support in the poll, it did fit the six pieces of criteria that the College wanted to meet. The mascot had to “not be prejudicial to any race, culture, nationality, gender or ethnic group…, symbolize the mission of the college…, represent both male and female athletes…, be nonviolent in and of itself…, athletes, coaches, and the Springfield College family would feel a sense of pride when their team is referred to by nickname…, [and] could be visually symbolized in a manner that would be appropriate if placed on uniforms, promotional material, and for general marketing purposes.” Since the Pride seemed to fit these guidelines the most out of all of the potential mascots, it was chosen to represent the new generation of Springfield College.

While a majority of current students are unaware of the former Springfield College mascot, there are still some reminders of it on campus. One of the most notable tracings of the former Chief mascot comes from the men’s lacrosse team. Since the early 1980s, the team has been calling themselves the “Chief Dawgs.” To the lacrosse team, the term is a badge of honor, and does not intend any harm.

“It’s not a racial thing. We use it as a source of pride,” explained men’s lacrosse head coach Keith Bugbee. “We only kind of use it when we are doing things the way we should, when we are playing tough, when we are playing with discipline, being good charactered people.”

Ranging from the professional level, to the high school level, all the way down to little leagues there are still plenty of sporting teams that have not opted to change their mascots. Springfield College may have been ahead of the curve when rebranding from a Native American mascot, but there are still many places that have yet to do so.

XII.

Continued from page 9 audience to stay awake, become active, join the revolution, and be a part of change.

Markarian described King’s visit in a typed letter, writing, “Of the 30 commencement addresses at Springfield College which I attended, his is the only one I can remember with any clarity-- a tribute, I think, to his eloquence and timely message.”

King’s message can be related to any time period in American history, and more specifically, it can be used now more than ever. It is our responsibility as members of a bigger and deeper community to stay awake, rather than sleep through yet another revolution.

“Through our scientific and technological genius, we have made of this world a neighborhood,” King said. “Now through our moral and ethical commitment, we must make of it a brotherhood.

We must all learn to live as brothers, or we will all perish together as fools.”

This concept is something that Springfield College holds deep to its heart. Through the humanics philosophy, emphasizing the education of spirit, mind and body, the community can continue King’s message and grow together.

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XIII.

Continued from page 9

But isn’t there a place tasked with making sure that students feel acclimated to the U.S.? Deborah Alm, Director of the International Center, says that this is her mission at Springfield College. Though, Alm understands that an international student’s experience can be widely dependent on the interactions with their American counterparts.

“Normally, students are very happy with their experience here,” Alm stated.

“We have a wide range due to language abilities though. If a student comes from Ireland or England, we almost never see them in this office. They just melt into the world and make friends and carry on. But students who need language support will find it more difficult to have true meaningful relationships with Americans.

“We ask ourselves, ‘How do we connect people in a meaningful level?’ I think that more programming in the residence halls is tremendous for people to get to know these students. I am so warmed when I see a picture on social media of students participating in the residence life activities without being needed to be invited to them. If I could get my international students to get to interact more in service-activities – because you get to talk more when you’re working side by side – then maybe that would lead more American students reaching out to international students, and maybe inviting them over to their house for Thanksgiving.”

Artem Brusentsov, an international student from Sweden, came from a somewhat similar culture to the U.S. But he quickly found out how difficult it was to become fully independent.

“I think the hardest part for me would be being by myself,” he said. “I came here because I wanted to move out of the house. [But] when I got here, I didn’t know anything. I didn’t know how to cook, do laundry, and basically every week was a skype call to my mom. ‘How do I cook this meat?’ or ‘How do I make this?’ The first week I literally just lived

Students enjoy a Chinese New Year celebration.

off Snickers bars and walked around, because I didn’t know how to do anything else.”

The experience of traveling to a foreign country is often related to excitement and leisure. Though for a great deal of people like Artem, traveling to America was a chance to move forward intellectually as well as socially.

“The reason I came here was mainly because of school,” he said. “But a lot of people ask me if I had the chance to do this all over again, would I do it? But I think I definitely would, even though there’s been a few bad times.

“And I say that because there’s also been a lot of good times. Those things have shaped me to be a better person, and they’ve helped me be more independent. I’ve learned a lot of valuable life skills and met some amazing people.”

Photo courtesy of Springfield College Flikr

with all that I’ve come to know, I realize how meaningful those connections with people of different backgrounds can be.

Perhaps you might be reading thinking ‘I’m done with school’ or ‘It’s tough to make new friends that way.’ And that’s fine! But realize, foreigners live right under your nose. And for the most part, making connections with them and getting to know them can be beneficial for both of you!

I’ve been planning a month-long trip to Europe, and it’s funny that months ago I had little to no connection to some of the places I planned to visit. But through reaching out and trying to further learn about the student experience, I became friends with Artem Brusentsov.

And with Sweden as one of the places I’m planning on visiting, Artem made it clear since the first time we met that he *** would love to show me around.

At this point in time, with four years If there’s one thing that people should of college behind me, I’ve come to re- take away from this, it would be this: Realize how far I’ve come. The difficulties alize that anybody can be a friend. And and the challenges I’ve faced when I you never know what might come out of came to the United States have shaped a fruitful connection with someone unme in a way I can’t really describe. And like yourself.

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Photo courtesy of Springfield College Flikr

to accomplish serious things … He’s made me think about how to approach certain situations -- how I need to be sensitive in what I say to my nephew’s cousin, my future kids, even my friends … It’s all right to show your emotions.”

During the lecture, someone in the audience mentioned the unpacking of gender roles as a means to avoid boxing both men and women within exclusive social assignments.

For the entirety of the lecture’s 90 minutes, Hill kept a certain attentiveness to each and every dimension of idea towards extinguishing toxic masculinity. Every single one. Because there are so many angles to this societal issue. And he wants to break its code.

“Yes,” Hill said, gently, and in agreement with his audience member. “Yes, absolutely.”

“Absolutely.” *** Clara P. Hill, Hill’s grandmother, never allowed her children, nor grandchildren, to be limited in their chores around the house. Not under her roof. She wanted all of them to be versatile.

So, Hill learned to do laundry, and cook, and clean. There was no ‘man’s work,’ and there was no ‘woman’s work.’ There was just ‘work.’

He was born and raised in Springfield, and brought up with his sister by Clara. Her husband died when Hill was one year old.

Clara raised the two of them, plus 10 children of her own.

Hill felt fortunate in having a loving, caring, kind, and compassionate environment in which he was brought up in. He always had a sense of direction.

“I just had a village,” Hill said. “It takes a village to raise a child.”

He is quick to credit the entirety of his peer group, from his family, to his childhood coaches. A real spiritual community, in his words.

Yet Clara was one of Hill’s centerpieces. She was a great cook, who never hesitated to open her home to feed others. She taught Hill life morals that he will forever emulate.

“My grandmother was a very wise woman, and what I think of, is the sacrifices she made,” Hill said. “We didn’t have a lot, but we had a lot of love in our house, some very

fond memories.”

Growing up, Hill was never pressured to go to college. But his grandmother still stressed the importance of an education.

Constantly. She was unwavering when it came to communicating the importance of hard work.

Such a foundation led to Hill’s enrollment at Springfield College in 1988, where he became a first generation college student.

He graduated in 1992, with a major in human services and administration, with a minor in sociology. Following his graduation, Hill set out to obtain a master’s degree, and earned one in social work at the University of Pennsylvania in 1994.

Though, for Hill, it all started with being raised in a good ‘village.’ And he always had his grandmother.

“When I was going to (Springfield public) school, she would always say, ‘Bring some good work back!’” Hill said. *** There’s a reason why Hill uses the term ‘healthy masculinity’ more than its counterpart, ‘toxic masculinity.’ Men and boys are typically socialized to express anger, but are constricted when it

XIV.

comes to expressing issues of loss or sadness.

Hill’s focus in healthy masculinity resurfaced four years ago, when he started working with the 100 Males to College initiative -- a program that looks to improve outcomes for all young men. It’s a partnership that is involved not only throughout Springfield high schools, but also with Westfield State, STCC, and UMass Amherst.

For high schoolers, 100 Males to College prepares students for a collegiate career, while the college students, are provided workshops for financial aid.

“Primarily [100 Males to College consists of] students of color, males, not graduating, low in class rates, also low college rates,” Hill said. “So [the program is] trying to get them to enhance and think about their future, and working with them in part [so] that they can go to college, and be career ready, while also looking at masculinity.”

In working with 100 Males to College, Hill applied a focus that he established back in graduate school, and brought to his community. While studying social work in Philadelphia between 199294, Hill was inspired

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by a rites of passage program that focused on helping young boys become responsible adults.

This prompted Hill to start a mentor program for boys in the Springfield area that ran for six years. It was a faith based initiative for 15 weeks in the fall and 15 weeks in the spring. The program brought its participants on trips, while also bringing in guest speakers to enhance group conversation about African-American history and Bible studies.

This is much like what Hill currently implements in the Men of Excellence -- a pro-

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gram that can be found both on Springfield College’s campus and at Renaissance High School.

In every conversation, no matter the program, Hill always preaches to never be closed off and to never box emotions. He always wants to keep students thinking.

“Just (by) asking the question, ‘What does it mean to be a man?’”

Hill said. “People think of showing emotions as being weak. But by bottling those emotions, it can cause a lot of pain later.” *** Hill is the father of two daughters. He

Hill poses with family after delivering his Humanics speech.

wants them to grow up with a sense of integrity. But he also wants to help build a society in which they can feel safe and respected.

“I want them to be in healthy relationships,” Hill said.

The most demoralizing thing one can do to someone who is socialized through toxic masculinity is to feminize him. The most effective taunt towards men can be as simple as, ‘man-up’ or ‘you throw like a girl.’

“With heterosexual relationships between a male and a female, how can you degrade women, and then say, ‘I want to be with women’?” Hill said.

In addition to the students involved with the Men of Excellence, Hill’s mission has begun to make an impact on the campus as a whole. Many are appreciative of his efforts to help build a healthy climate throughout the school, in addition to the Springfield community.

“Here, you have a faculty member who’s in the school of social work … who has said, ‘You know what? It’s part of my responsibility as a black male to make sure students across campus have role models -- have that ability to be able to go to someone to create dialogue,” Dr. Calvin

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Hill, Springfield College Vice President of Inclusion and Community Engagement, said.

“That’s where we want to ultimately go.

The goal is to create a breath of awareness and ideas for young people, and Tony’s doing that. He’s giving them things to think about.”

Ever since returning to Springfield after earning his master’s in Philadelphia, Hill has been on a mission. He isn’t finished yet, but one thing is for certain.

He has done what his grandmother told him to do. He has brought good work back to his city.

Photo courtesy of Springfield College Flikr

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Adviser’s note

XVI.

Our complicated journey with diversity

By Marty Dobrow In America, and in our tiny patch of it here at Springfield College, the ambition is mighty.

We the People…created equal…liberty and justice for all…a nation of immigrants.

Educating students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to humanity.

It is great to aim high. We should all strive to give voice to what Abraham Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature.” But pretty words in founding documents and mission statements are only a starting point.

Ultimately, the proof is in the pudding of our actions. (Or our inactions, since silence is a form of complicity, a vote for the dark side.)

How do we live?

What kind of world do we vote for by the choices—even the tiny ones—that we make?

Much of our humanity is measured, I believe, by how we treat others, by our whole conception of “other.” Do we legitimately strive to both honor differences and celebrate our bonds? Do we truly value diversity?

Over the 134 years of Springfield College’s existence we have had quite a journey with diversity. Some of that

is a great story, the kind of story any college would be happy to claim.

We were born with a spirit of internationalism. Almost half of the students who came here in 1885 were not U.S. residents. At least as early as 1896, training school notes stated, “The ideal which these men of self-devotion must have before them and exemplify in their lives is the ideal of social justice.”

When our school was minted to give out its first 4-year degrees in 1906, the very first student to earn one was an African-American man named William Beckett.

During World War II, Springfield educated some Japanese-American students released from internment camps, including the future YMCA legend Fred Hoshiyama.

Perhaps the greatest student-athlete we have ever had at a place that prizes this status was Tom Waddell (’59), three-sport standout, Olympic decathlete, doctor, paratrooper, and founder of the Gay Games.

In 1963-64 we not only had our first varsity sports for women years before Title IX, we had a commencement speaker by the

name of Martin Luther King, Jr. – right at the height of his fame, right in the heart of the civil rights movement, amid some remarkable circumstances.

And even in modern times, we have seen some so many impressive students fighting the good fight for a more fair and just campus, country, and planet through organizations like SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere), SSBD (Student Society for Bridging Diversity), and Team IMPACT. President Mary-Beth Cooper has identified diversity as one of the institution’s chief priorities. Some of my faculty colleagues have been pouring themselves into this work for years.

But sitting on a high horse is not a good look for anyone. Individuals and institutions are strongest when they are willing to take an unflinching look in the mirror. If we do so here at Springfield College, we would have to acknowledge that this is not a completely good story.

Even with some recent improvements, it’s pretty clear that on a campus that sits in a minority-majority city, in a country where people of color will soon

outnumber white folks, we remain disproportionately white within our student body, our faculty, and our administration. Our retention numbers with students of color need to improve. Our international students are too segregated. Even with a strong female president, some powerful female leaders throughout the College, and a growing number of evolved men around gender issues, there remains too much of a culture of what we now call “toxic masculinity.”

Our campus’s accessibility has improved— and it still has a way to go. Within some student residences there have been moments of intolerance that cannot be acceptable on this— or any—campus. And sometimes we have just not summoned the strength to act on what we know to be true.

We have a common cliché at Springfield College about “stepping out of our comfort zone,” but how much do we really do it?

This semester, for the first time, I taught a seminar class on the journalism of civil rights and social justice.

Since our return from spring break, we have embarked on a project to explore the diversity journey at Springfield

College.

Such an effort was bound to be limited. It’s a huge topic, and as we have come to see the “diversity of diversity”—the intersections of identities, the blasting apart of certain binaries that previous generations took for granted (two discrete races, two discrete genders, etc.), we knew we would only scratch the surface of the surface.

But these students scratched hard. They spent long hours at the archives. They dug into some deep and difficult interviews. They transcribed. They drafted.

They revised. They edited. They filmed and designed. They engaged in real conversation. They sat with their own discomfort.

They disagreed with me several times. I think we did a pretty good job of doing what people need to do: We listened to each other.

The imperfect, incomplete, but earnest result of all this work is this special section of the student newspaper and the multiple-day social media initiative surrounding it (see #SCdiversityjourney).

We hope that it sparks some healthy thought, conversation, and positive action in the campus community.