Universities and colleges from across West Virginia affirmed their commitment to diversity today at the fourth annual West Virginia NAACP Higher Education Summit at Marshall University.
Representatives of Bluefield State College, Marshall University, Pierpont Community and Technical College, Shepherd University, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, West Virginia State University and West Virginia University had the opportunity to share ideas from which all could benefit, according to Marshall President Jerome A. Gilbert.
“I think we had very interesting discussions today and all agreed that more attention is needed on the topic of diversifying our campuses,” said Gilbert. “My goal for our university is to be more deliberate and more strategic in recruiting, hiring and retaining members of diverse populations at Marshall. We need to take a close look at our current practices and propose ways to diversify our faculty and staff. We are grateful to the NAACP for sponsoring the summit.”
The summit’s first panel focused on recruiting, hiring and retaining diverse people to serve on an institution’s governing board. The second panel featured four university presidents discussing best practices and recommendations for a more diverse and inclusive campus.
Dr. Anthony Jenkins, president of West Virginia State University, served as a panelist with presidents Dr. Johnny Moore of Pierpont Community and Technical College, Dr. Marsha V. Krotseng of Bluefield State College and Marshall’s Gilbert.
“Universities should serve as multicultural centers. We should be able to walk on campus and see people from different backgrounds and cultures,” said Jenkins. “Where is the responsibility of the university to make this happen? We need to be leaders of integration and inclusion.”
This was the first time Marshall hosted a West Virginia NAACP Higher Education Summit. To learn more about upcoming NAACP events, call 304-529-4692. For more information about initiatives supported by Marshall’s President’s Commission on Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, visitwww.marshall.edu/diversity.
Caption: (Left to right), Dr. Anthony Jenkins, president of West Virginia State University; Dr. Marsha V. Krotseng, president of Bluefield State College; Dr. Johnny Moore, president of Pierpont Community and Technical College; and Dr. Jerome A. Gilbert, president of Marshall University.