REFLECTIONS FROM THE INTERIM VICE PRESIDENT FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Greetings everyone!

March days are here and it’s time to recognize and celebrate Women’s History Month. It is important to take a step back and highlight the contributions of women in our society, our families, and our community at St. Olaf College. This month, I encourage you to join our roundtable conversation with Women in Leadership on March 19 to hear about the opportunities, challenges, and successes of each featured leader. Please see the flier below on event details and who will be featured!

Have a wonderful month!

— Dr. Reginald H. Miles
Interim Vice President for Equity and Inclusion 

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Events

Register by March 15! Inclusive Excellence Summit: You Belong
Tuesday, April 2 | 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. | Register
TO RESERVE YOUR LUNCH AND YOUR SEAT DURING THE SESSIONS, you are invited to register for the 2024 Inclusive Excellence Summit. We will recognize and share the excellence, challenges, and work ahead in higher education and beyond. The event will feature many engaging presenters from the St. Olaf community surrounding this year’s theme “You Belong.” To see the Summit’s agenda and full list of presentations, click here.

A Conversation with Women in Leadership
Tuesday, March 19 | 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Buntrock Commons Sun Ballroom | Register
The Office of Equity and Inclusion invites all members of the community to attend the college’s Women’s History Month event, “A Conversation with Women in Leadership.”

Taylor Center Out for Lunch Series: Study Abroad and the LGBTQIA+ Experience
Thursday, March 21 | 11:30 a.m. | BC 111 | RSVP

Meet Members of Our Community

Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Jennifer Kwon Dobbs 허수진 (she/her/hers)

Position: Professor of English; Department Chair of English

From: Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea and Sand Springs, Oklahoma

Education:
B.A., English | Oklahoma State University
M.F.A., Poetry | University of Pittsburgh
M.A., English and Ph.D., Literature and Creative Writing | University of Southern California

When did you start your St. Olaf journey as a faculty member?
August 2008

Why did you want to work at St. Olaf College?
The college’s commitment to interdisciplinary studies felt like an invitation to bring my full pedagogical self to the classroom as a poet and scholar with interests in Asian American literature and critical ethnic studies.

What is your definition of an inclusive community?
For me, inclusion means transformative practices of care and repair.

Please share two women (historical or current) that have made a significant impact on your life and why.
I’m thankful for the work of Dr. Marcella Taylor who is St. Olaf’s first emerita and full professor of African descent. As Professor of English, she designed courses in creative writing and film studies during the 80s that laid the curricular groundwork for the creative writing major and film and media studies program. Her example and that of retired Associate Professor of English Dr. Joan Hepburn, who authored the college’s land acknowledgement, entwine with my reading of transnational Black feminists — –all of which constitute for me what Sara Ahmed describes as “a life-line:” words that have the power “to pull you into a more liveable world.”

What are you currently watching or reading?
Presently, I’m reading poetry submissions for AGNI as the magazine’s senior poetry editor and several books and archival materials for my mixed-genre project under contract.

No one knows that I … 
… worked in a gas station and the city manager’s office while a first-generation college student attending Oklahoma State University.

Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Dana Horton (she/her/hers)

Position: Associate Professor of English and Race, Ethnic, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

From: Pittsburgh, PA

Education:
B.A., African American Studies and English | Temple University
Ph.D., English | Northeastern University

When did you start your St. Olaf journey as a faculty member? 
August 2023

Why did you want to work at St. Olaf College?
I was thoroughly impressed by St. Olaf College’s commitment to the liberal arts. Many schools around the country are cutting their liberal arts programs, and I wanted to work at a place that still values the liberal arts. 

What is your definition of an inclusive community? 
An inclusive community is one that fosters accountability, allows for healthy dissent, and demonstrates a sense of respect and appreciation amongst participants. 

Please share two women (historical or current) that have made a significant impact on your life and why.
My mom has definitely made the most significant impact on my life. She raised me to become the woman that I am today and to never apologize for being my authentic self. 

The second woman is the late rapper Gangsta Boo, whose music gave me the confidence to thrive, especially in male-dominated spaces. 

What is your personal ‘tagline’?
“Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company?”

—Zora Neale Hurston, “How it Feels to be Colored Me”

What are you currently watching or reading? 
I’m watching Cold Case from start to finish. I’m on season five, and I enjoy seeing how the show has changed throughout its run; it’s a well-constructed show and extremely underrated. I’m currently reading Speculation by Nisi Shawl, which is a historical science fiction book about a young girl who learns about her family history when she puts on a magical pair of glasses. 

No one knows that I… 
…play the clarinet! 

New Face on the Hill: Staff Spotlight

Christen Cole (she/her/hers)

Position: Assistant Vice President for Human Resources

From: Rosemount, Minnesota (Grew up in Minneapolis)

Education:
B.A., Child Psychology, minors in Spanish and Chicano Studies | University of Minnesota
M.A., Counseling Psychology | St. Thomas
Ph.D. Candidate, Industrial/Organizational Psychology | Capella University

When did you start your St. Olaf journey as a staff member?
February 2024

Why did you want to work at St. Olaf College?
As a lifelong learner, I have always loved the school environment. St. Olaf offered me a chance to combine my HR experience with an academic setting, and I love St. Olaf’s reputation and its strong community — it was something I was excited to be a part of.

What is your definition of an inclusive community?
An inclusive community truly allows people to bring their whole selves, not just the parts they think others will like or agree with. An inclusive community is one where everyone can feel like they belong in a meaningful way.

Please share two women (historical or current) that have made a significant impact on your life and why. 
My mother has shaped me significantly in my life; even though she never went to college, she always pushed my sisters and me to get as much education as we wanted to. My mom taught me to stand up straight (literally — she was always pulling my shoulders back), use my voice and always believe I could accomplish great things.

My former coworker-turned boss-turned friend Jody Thompson was someone who saw a talent in me that she described as an ‘x-factor.’ She hired me to become a Master Trainer for her consulting company at a time when I was questioning how I fit in the HR world. Jody’s unwavering support and loyalty and her confidence in me helped to make me the HR professional I am today.

What is your personal ‘tagline’?
You’ll never regret taking the high road.

What are you currently watching or reading?
I’m currently reading “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod. I probably have way too many self-improvement books, but I absolutely love books that help me reframe the way I approach my life.

No one knows that I …
(Well, some people know this:) I danced on the Timberwolves Performance Team for two seasons in the mid-90s. I used to be cool.

Dedicated Affinity Groups for Faculty and Staff

If you want to learn more about our affinity groups and how you can get involved, reach out to your colleagues below: