Committed to diversity
Posted on February 14, 2008
When Kelly Greer first came to JMU almost four years ago, she did not know what her future would be like. As a black student on a predominantly caucasian campus, she felt like she didn’t belong.
Greer was recognized for her efforts and commitment to diversity at JMU on Jan. 25 with the third annual Diversity Enhancement Award. The senior sociology major doesn’t know what her future will hold, but she has hopes to bring social justice and equal opportunities to everyone she can.
“You can never truly be strong in opinion and belief until you’ve talked with people who have experienced different lives,” Greer said. “You can’t experience it yourself. If you think everyone lives like you do, it’ll shape your opinions, and really affect your beliefs, especially about social justice.”
Throughout her time in Harrisonburg, Greer has been involved with several multicultural organizations. She has been on the executive board for the Black Student Alliance, the Neo-Underground Railroad Conductors and Women of Color. She is a multicultural attaché at the Center for Multicultural Student Services, as well as a service coordinator for Community Service-Learning.
Dusty Krikau, assistant Director of CMSS, nominated Greer for the award in the fall. They have built both a business and personal relationship over the past few years, and Krikau said that Greer even baby-sits for her children.
“One thing that strikes me about her is that she really is altruistic,” Krikau said. “She is consistently on the ball about how she wants the world to work for everyone, and about social justice in general.”
In September, through her role as attaché, Greer began a new outreach program of diversity panels. The program offers professors the opportunity to bring up topics and issues within classrooms with a panel of students from different backgrounds.
“I’ve always thought I have to be the one to speak up in class,” Greer said. “When it’s a black person’s statement in a class of all white people, it represents the opinions of all blacks. But if a white person speaks up, they’re just saying their opinion.”
Krikau said that the program has helped Greer create a legacy at JMU, especially since only 11 percent of student enrollment is considered multicultural.
“It’s difficult to have a conversation about diversity in a class that’s all white,” Krikau said. “She took this program from the ground up. It wasn’t even on my radar to do this. We’ve received glowing reviews from professors who have used it. The conversations are consistently exciting for everyone involved.”
Currently the program has been used mostly within the social sciences, but Krikau hopes it will expand across all studies.
Greer was chosen from among three student nominees for the award by the selection committee in the office of the special assistant for Diversity. Jackie Rufo, executive assistant, said that though there was not the turnout of nominations the office had hoped for, each student was highly qualified.
“They were all worthy of the award, and we appreciate all their hard work,” Rufo said. “The involvement that Kelly has had with so many organizations since she started and the way she champions diversity made her stand out.”
Greer did not know that she was nominated when she first received the news about winning from her mother. Greer was out of town and the notice came to her house.
“I was really confused at first,” Greer said.
The award, a plaque and $500 was presented to Greer at a semi-formal reception. Two faculty and staff members received awards as well. The Women of Distinction Awards were also presented.
“We try to make it a special point in their lives,” Rufo said about the event.
Now, Greer is preparing for her life after graduation. She has considered a wide array of opportunities, from graduate school, to teaching abroad, to working within higher education.
“My heart is in so many places I can’t decide what to do next,” Greer said. “I’ve been encouraged by my mentors to keep in higher education. They’ve had such a large impact on me, and I want to have that impact on others too.”
Krikau, who Greer called “my boss, my teacher, my mentor,” has no doubts that Greer will have a rewarding and impacting future.
“Kelly can do anything,” Krikau said. “It doesn’t matter what field she’s in, she’ll bring social justice into it. Kelly has so many options, and she’ll do great in all of them.”
