NC State is more than a collection of colleges and institutes. The university is deeply rooted in the past, present and future of North Carolina and is committed to our land-grant mission to drive innovation within our state and nationally. Our foundation is strengthened by the people who are dedicated to creating environments that place diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at the heart of what we do. Those individuals lead the university in all areas of the institution. They coordinate student support initiatives, engage faculty and staff in professional development and support, and they lead North Carolina residents through our statewide extension offices.
The Credential certificate program is a premier cohort-based experience for NC State faculty and staff who seek to translate their theoretical understanding of integrating diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging into their practice and/or pedagogy. The program leads participants through the development of a foundational understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging towards an introspective experience with the use of the Intercultural Development Inventory. Participants engage in case study exploration involving real situations that have taken place at colleges and universities across the country and lead a DEI audit of their respective units.
The Credential certificate program kicked off in early November with nine participants. The participants each represent units across campus that lead through the “Think and Do” motto that has guided our innovation. Read on to learn more about each of our participants.
Tracy A. Dixon
Director of Strategic Initiatives; Office of Sustainability
Dixon is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for Facilities and Energy Systems at NC State University. She has a double master’s degree in public administration and natural resources. Dixon has extensive experience in environmental, social and economic sustainability. She has worked as the first director of sustainability for NC State, a program manager for Advanced Energy, an environmental analyst for the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, a legislative assistant for the House Majority Leader in the NC General Assembly and as a public relations specialist for the NC Museum of Natural Sciences.
Sharon Joines
Associate Dean of the College of Design, Professor of Industrial Design, Director of the Research in Ergonomics and Design Laboratory
Joines is a researcher and ergonomist, teaching courses in human-centered design and ergonomics. Her interests reside in universal design, applied product and process research, and the effect of aging on fatigue development and work. Her research focuses on quantifying the interaction between individuals, products and their environments. Joines works with engineers and designers in all phases of the design cycle.
Tim MacNeil
CSC Lab Coordinator, Department of Computer Science
MacNeil serves the university as the coordinator of the Undergraduate Computer Science Lab. He actively recruits, trains and supports undergraduate student employees and the academic experience for students.
Dave Provost
Research and Outreach Librarian for Veterinary Medicine, NC State Libraries
As research and outreach librarian for Veterinary Medicine, Provost assesses the needs of the veterinary teaching, clinical and research user community to identify and develop new services and outreach programs; consults and collaborates with clinical and research faculty, veterinary students and fellows, and hospital staff in support of clinical education and research; and develops and manages specialized research collections in collaboration with faculty and library colleagues.
Logan Skeehan
Technology Support Technician, Enrollment Management
Skeehan joined Enrollment Management and Services in early 2021 as a technology support technician. He provides technical support for the division and serves as the tier-one point of contact for university personnel regarding SIS-related issues. Skeehan has over four years of experience in education technology support, both classroom and administrative.
Sherry Stallings
Senior Communications Lead, DELTA
Stallings started working at DELTA in January of 2015. With nearly two decades of experience at NC State, she brought a wealth of knowledge and insight to her position. She provides content and writing expertise while mainly focusing on writing, editing and branding for DELTA. She also promotes and writes articles for DELTA News, leads social media, and established a monthly email newsletter called DELTA Connections. Stallings helps increase awareness of DELTA and its service across NC State’s campus and to outside entities.
Patrick Stephenson
Residence Life Coordinator, University Housing
Stephenson is a recent NC State graduate with a strong background in training and development and a solid foundation of counseling and higher education. He seeks to help students achieve their goals through the dedication and belief that they can make positive changes in their own lives through education.
Pam Van Emden
Administrative Support Specialist for Nutrition – Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences
Van Emden is a dedicated professional with over 20 years of experience in sales, relationship management, customer satisfaction and implementation of brand strategy with a proven track record of client base growth and exceeding goals. She is passionate about promoting a sense of belonging within the NC State community.
Kyle Warren-Love
Medical Support Technician, College of Veterinary Medicine
Warren-Love is a passionate advocate for allyship and support. Through his role at the College of Veterinary Medicine, he is a vocal advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion and champions these efforts in his service to the institution.
Next Steps
Our inaugural group will be working to lead change and promote engagement in their respective areas. Their dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging is evident in the initiatives they’ve engaged in and their commitment to leading the Pack.
Interested in learning more about the Credential? Check out our earlier article with more details and read up on our website.
Melvin “Jai” Jackson, Ph.D., is assistant vice provost for faculty engagement in the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity.