Any student who attends Millikin knows that the Big Blue loves to use acronyms. While some acronyms are well known, such as RTUC, DISC and KFAC, some are less familiar to the student body. OSP, or Office of Student Programs, was one that wasn’t as well known and now to make things more interesting OSP has changed their name to ISE, or Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement.
The name change occurred because Millikin decided to combine the Office of Student Programs and the Center of Multicultural Student Affairs.
“We wanted to create synergy between the two,” Dean of Student Development, Raphaella Prange said.
ISE helps with activities such as campus involvement, cultural celebrations and Greek Life. ISE is also in charge of other large events at Millikin such as First Week, Homecoming, Fall Family Weekend and Sibs Weekend. ISE is meant to be a way to help students with personal development and provide leadership opportunities in order for them to grow into more confident and successful adults.
“We believe this office will be a place everyone will want to come, be a part of, and work with. And that just wasn’t happening in the past,” Molly Berry, Director of ISE, said.
With this new office, the department hopes that students will feel included on campus. ISE wants to offer the students the same programs as before, but in a newer way. Along with the old programs, ISE plans on hosting the first Native American History Month in Nov. and Asian American History Month in May. In April, they hope to bring back the Tunnel of Oppression, a theatrical simulation that guides student through rooms that bring up topics relating to privilege. ISE hopes it will be a very powerful experience.
The ISE office staff consists of a variety of faculty members, some of whom are new and some who have been involved in other areas around campus. Quantrell Willis is the assistant dean of the new office, Molly Berry is the director, Alicia Gilbert is associate director, Tonya Hines is coordinator and Tammy Morrison is administrative assistant.
Students are welcome to visit the ISE office in LRTUC at any time. In fact, it’s encouraged by the faculty. The layout of the office has changed in a way to make it more accessible for students to spend time with faculty and fellow students. They are always happy to see students’ faces in the office.
“We wanted to create a hub for conversations of difference to happen at the same table where leadership conversations were happening,” Molly Berry said.
The new name came to be by the faculty concentrating on the specific plan of what they wanted to accomplish. It was felt that using “inclusion” in the title was a better way of making all students feel as if they can be a part of it.
If students wish to get involved with ISE, they can contact Quantrell Willis or Molly Berry for more information on how to become connected.