Today@Sam Article
Creed Week Promotes Campus Belonging
Jan. 25, 2021
SHSU Media Contact: Hannah Haney
At Sam Houston State University we value acceptance, respect and belonging for all Bearkats, and beginning January 25, the Office of Institutional Diversity & Inclusion will host a week-long program series designed to actively engage the SHSU community in the commemoration and adoption of these very values.
As part of Creed Week 2021, students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to participate in thought-provoking programing and interactive activities such as meet & greets, recognition ceremonies, kindness campaigns and educational workshops in order to promote inclusive behaviors at SHSU.
“I hope that Creed Week amplifies the core set of aspirational values that shape the identity of a Bearkat. By engaging the campus in community-building events that highlight similarities, we can begin to curate safe spaces that promote inclusion, compassion, and empathy ( I.C.E.) for all,” said Nu’Nicka Epps, assistant director of Inclusion Initiatives & Assessment in the Office of Institutional Diversity & Inclusion.
The Bearkats Belong Creed reads:
I will do my part to discourage conscious and unconscious discrimination.
I will do my part to respect an individual's right to self-identify.
I will do my part to promote and maintain a campus community of respect and compassion.
I will do my part to ensure that all Bearkats have access to equal opportunities.
I am a Bearkat.
I Belong.
“Reflecting on our institutional values and the role I am entrusted with on-campus has heightened the level of responsibility for the Office of Institutional Diversity & Inclusion during this tumultuous time in our nation,” Epps said. “Now more than ever, each of us is obligated to play an influential role in positively shifting the campus climate and connecting the values of the Bearkats Belong Creed to each generation of students, leaders, and teachers.”
Since its establishment in Spring 2019 by Advokat interns, Creed Week has worked towards achieving three major goals:
1. Increase awareness on campus about prejudice, stereotyping, power, privilege, and social identities (race, gender, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, spirituality/religion, ability, etc.) through marketing and educational campaigns.
2. Create spaces that foster intellectual group dialogue on critical and challenging topics that inspire genuine understanding, goodwill, and collaboration at Sam Houston State University.
3. Develop and promote programs, trainings, workshops, lectures, and events that engage the entire campus community on best inclusive practices.
For RSVP details and the full offerings of the Office of Institutional Diversity & Inclusion’s Creed Week, visit the virtual event invitation at https://mailchi.mp/c2aef6125b5e/youre-invited-creed-week-2021 or Learn more about all program offerings at https://shsu.edu/inclusion.
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