Donna Ennis takes the time to attend Georgia Tech’s annual Diversity Symposium because it offers an opportunity to learn what the Institute is doing in this area and provides a forum for offering her feedback.  

“We must participate so that leadership can hear our ideas and thoughts,” added Ennis, a project director in the Enterprise Innovation Institute.    

This year’s symposium, themed “Achieving Inclusive Excellence: Challenges and Opportunities,” will be held on Friday, Sept. 7, from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Global Learning and Conference Center.

“One of the things I enjoy most about the event is that it’s an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to come together and have candid discussions,” said Archie Ervin, vice president for Institute Diversity. “What you say does matter to Tech’s leadership, and we walk away from events like this symposium with a better idea of what we’re doing right and what might need improvement.” 

President G. P. “Bud” Peterson will provide the welcome to this year’s event, which will include a panel of faculty and staff members from Tech, who will discuss challenges and opportunities for the Institute. A community conversations activity will be held in the afternoon to  allow groups to identify issues related to building community at Tech and provide recommendations on addressing them. 

The keynote address will be delivered by Johnetta B. Cole, director of the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian Institution, and will focus on creating diverse and inclusive communities on university campuses. 

“Attracting and retaining a diverse student body, faculty and staff, and creating an inclusive campus culture are among the critical challenges confronting American higher education,” said Cole, who is president emerita of Spelman College and Bennett College for Women. “I look forward to joining with the Georgia Tech community in discussing these issues at their fourth annual Diversity Symposium.” 

Ervin encourages supervisors and managers across campus to work with employees interested in attending the event to find a way for them to participate in at least a portion of the symposium. 

“Every voice is important to our conversation about diversity,” he added.   

Register for the event here.