Description:

The University of Pittsburgh’s Career Center’s Diversity+YOU in the Workplace committee, established in 2017 and fully supported by the Student Affairs leadership team, launched in fall 2020 a bi-weekly staff education program to respond to the ubiquitous nature of systemic racism and the impact that it has on our campuses. This initiative turned our efforts inward to review how we might be inadvertently complicit and consequently missing opportunities for allyship and advocacy to improve students’ career development and outcomes. The committee read, discussed and developed activities around the book, How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, and then facilitating discussions with our 29 staff members. Our goals were three-fold: in depth learning about racism and the experiences and policies that undermine minoritized populations; small group discussions on the book content to allow for uncomfortable conversations that promote learning and tolerance of difference; and, through these interpersonal interactions, develop a greater ongoing awareness of the needs of our marginalized student populations. The staff were sent three to five questions to consider while reading approximately three chapters in two-week increments. The questions related to specific chapter content plus one question that was included each week, designed to dig deeper into the felt experience of the Black population: “What did you read that brings forth your strongest sense of empathy?” To effectively further this effort, we surveyed our staff on several objectives. Using a Likert scale, we measured their answers on topics, including the effectiveness of the book and discussions in understanding their own experiences and beliefs that shaped their lens in viewing others; their understanding of the concepts, policies and biases that prevail in our society; and to what extent the activities helped them to reframe their thinking about how the Career Center could provide programming for students. Additionally, we asked for qualitative responses to these questions to garner more information and requested ideas for themes that staff would like to further explore in our ongoing staff education. The results indicated that 45% of staff found the activity to be extremely or very useful, while only 5% found it to be not at all useful. Themes such as personal bias, critical conversations, and sexual identities garnered 65% of the staff’s interest in ongoing staff education. These results were an expected outcome and an indication that the staff education program could and should continue. The second phase of the staff education program includes monthly themes (March is gender equality), which are explored through videos, podcasts and short peer-reviewed articles. These are sent out biweekly via email and then discussed along with an activity or speaker in a monthly hour-long session. Additionally, we have periodic all staff trainings on diversity, equity, and inclusion and we provide a resource page for staff with articles, books, podcasts, and other media for further learning. We also send out notices when events related to diversity, equity, and inclusion are available. Finally, over the summer months, we will engage in activities and resources that help us to continue to re-imagine our career consulting and programming for self-identified marginalized populations and extend our knowledge and mission to employers we work with and other departments on campus that work with students. This SMARTtalk will include an overview of the rational and outcomes of our staff education program through the presentation of slides on our process including schedules, content, surveys and outcomes. The presentation will also include a short activity to engage the audience in understanding the look and feel for an ongoing staff education program. A resource of materials to use in staff education will also be provided.

Audience:

University Relations & Recruiting

Level:

Emerging

Track:

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Type:

SMARTtalk

Main Speaker:

Carol Balk, University of Pittsburgh

Additional Speakers: