Purdue University North Central will present a Brownbag Series in the coming months, with PNC faculty, staff and community members leading programs that center on the topic of "diversity."
The seminars will vary in style and subject, but all will share the intent of presenting topics and issues that can contribute to the development of tolerant, inclusive campus and community cultural practices. Some presenters will feature short film clips or interactive pieces that will stimulate conversation and discussion, others will present ideas for open dialogue and sharing of views and experiences.
The Brownbag Series is coordinated by Bob Mellin, continuing lecturer of English.
The seminars will be presented in the PNC Library-Student-Faculty Building Room 170A, located just off the PNC cafeteria, from noon to 1 p.m. They are free and open to the public and guests may bring their lunch. Varying opinions are welcome.
The series begins Sept. 23 with Sarah Sanders Smith, assistant professor of Organizational Leadership & Supervision, and local resident Gerrie Grott presenting "My Story." Grott was born with, what some would define as, a disability. Her parents did not listen to the advice they were given to send her away. She will relate her life story, her family's courage and her success in life. Sanders Smith is a member of the PNC Chancellor's Diversity Committee. As a daughter of a father with multiple sclerosis, she is aware of what it is like to overcome adversities. Grott's story is one of her favorites!
Oct. 21 - Kenneth Kincaid, assistant professor of History, will discuss "Contemporary Latin American Issues." Kincaid has travelled extensively throughout Peru and Ecuador for more than 15 years. He has worked closely with the Brüning Museum in Peru and serves as a project director of ethnohistorical research. Kincaid will discuss globalization, Latinos and Latin America and will touch on issues ranging from the H1N1 virus in Latin America to immigration patterns and Latino cultural diversity in the region. He will also discuss his upcoming "PNC in Peru 2010" trip.
Nov. 11 - Joanna Witulski, limited term lecturer in American Sign Language, presents "Language Alive: American Sign Language." Witulski believes that American Sign Language (ASL) is a language that defies the concept of what language is about. Her presentation will skim over ASL, culture, history of sign language and its use in the nation. She is Deaf Services coordinator at Indiana F.A.C.E.S., a project of Everybody Counts, Inc. Witulski has been deaf since she was about one year old and her husband is also deaf.
Dec. 2 - Jerry Holt, assistant professor of English, will present "1947 - The Year Baseball Got It Right." Holt's writing credits include the novel "The Killing of Strangers" which was nominated for an Edgar Award and the play "Rickey," the story of Branch Rickey, who brought Jackie Robinson into the major leagues and broke baseball's color line. During 1946 and 1947, one of the most remarkable stories in American history played out on the baseball diamond. Sportswriter Red Barber called 1947 "The Year All Hell Broke Loose." Holt will tell the story about the summer that baseball broke the color line.
Feb. 24 - Pat Carlisle will talk about "Fighting Isms: From Words to Action" as she explains how to become actively involved in "making a difference that makes a difference" by addressing the various "isms" that confronted us. Carlisle asks that participants be ready to share experiences and offer suggestions for action. Carlisle was special assistant to the chancellor responsible for Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action when she retired from PNC in January, 2009 after spending 44 years in higher education. She was an advocate for society's "non-traditional," including women, low-income, first generation college students, individuals with disabilities and minorities. In January, 2009 she was recognized by Purdue University with a Dreamer Award in "recognition and appreciation of your embodiment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s vision of service to others and furthering Purdue University's commitment to diversity." She serves on the Duneland Economic Development Company Board, Bradley Center Community Relations Board, Duneland Health and Wellness Institute Member's Advisory Council and is a consultant to the PNC College of Science Interdisciplinary Research Center.
March 24 - Sarah White, PNC visiting assistant professor of English Composition, and Heather Fielding, PNC, assistant professor of English, present "Diversity in Online Teaching." They note that when students and teacher meet in a bricks-and-mortar classroom, differences in race, gender, ethnicity, age and class often are visually apparent. They will address what happens to diversity in an online environment, when students and teachers no longer see each other and how diversity manifests itself in such a forum. They will explore how online education can deepen opportunities for diversity by providing new modes of recognition and expression.
White has extensive experience with online and hybrid teaching at PNC and other institutions. Fielding taught one of the first online-only writing courses at the Harvard University Extension School.
Further information about the series can be obtained by contacting Mellin at 462-4197, ext. 5215. Persons with disabilities needing accommodations should contact ext. 5215.