About Us
We aim to aid our historically underserved students as they transition through their university careers here in this office. By providing opportunities to get involved in the campus community, thus shaping their college experience, encouraging them to accept the differences of others, and putting them in spaces where they can be healthy, connected, and learning-focused students!
IME Staff
Mission
The Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement is the core of Inclusive Excellence. The office provides transformative experiences to foster the growth and development of historically underserved communities. As advocates for institutional and cultural change, we promote a supportive and inclusive community for professional and personal development by cultivating globally aware citizens.
Vision
We strive to be the regional model by enhancing the collegiate experience of historically underserved students through intentional student involvement, community, and civic engagement, as well as diversified and inclusive-focused programming.
| Goal #1 | Goal #2 | Goal #3 | Goal #4 | Goal #5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ensure that all faculty, staff, and students are engaged in equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts. | Educate the campus at-large with training on equity, inclusivity and diversity, representation, social justice, meaningful service, community engagement, microaggressions, and implicit bias. | Collaborate w/ campus partners, the community, & the state to advance equity, diversity & inclusiveness at the University of Southern Mississippi. | Support historically underserved student communities (people of color, low-income, & first generation) to improve their experiences and success. | Cultivate active citizens through experiential learning, community development, and civic leadership. |
Land and Labor Acknowledgement
We must acknowledge and honor the land and labor of those who came before us, which allows us to learn as a Southern Miss community. We respectfully acknowledge the Mississippi Band of the Choctaw Nation, who once occupied the land now considered Mississippi. We aspire to honor and respect the Indigenous peoples who European colonizers forcibly removed from this territory. Yet, the Choctaw Nation remains connected to this land and continues to thrive nearby. We also own our part in the Choctaw Nation’s continued displacement by incorporating Indigenous knowledge in our work and working to establish meaningful connections with Indigenous peoples and communities. (adapted public statement from Dr. Cori Bazemore-James, 2019)
Further, we want to respectfully acknowledge the enslaved peoples, primarily of African
descent, who provided exploited labor to build and maintain many higher education
institutions with little-to-no recognition. We are indebted to their labor and the
labor of many who continue to work in the shadows for our collective benefit. As higher
education scholars and practitioners, we implore ourselves to remember and honor those
whose land we occupy and whose labor we benefit.
Office of Inclusion & Multicultural Engagement Calendar
The Office of IME has space available for programming and events that cater to BIPOC and QT communities. We encourage student organizations and campus partners to request space as needed. Click Here.
Connect w/ Us!
Stay connected to the Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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