Even though it’s summer break, TCU’s faculty and staff are not taking any time off as they’re working to brainstorm ideas concerning campus diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Many departments will be working together to put on the Think-A-Thon, an event designed to create a platform where all faculty and staff can gather to produce ideas about incorporating DEI on TCU’s campus.
The Think-A-Thon is scheduled for Aug. 16. The School of Interdisciplinary Studies, the Koehler Center, Human Resources and the Office of Inclusion are sponsoring the event.
“By seeing all these different units sponsor this event, my hope is that everyone feels welcome to be there,” said Dr. Nada Elias-Lambert of the Harris College of Nursing, who is organizing the Think-A-Thon.
Elias-Lambert holds the title of Diversity Administrative Fellow in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and the Koehler Center, making her uniquely qualified to organize the event.
“There are a lot of people doing work for DEI on commities and in the classroom; but, I think that there is a group of faculty and staff that have ideas, but they haven’t had a place to insert those ideas yet,” said Dr. Elias-Lambert. “I am hoping that because the Think-A-Thon is an invitation to all faculty and staff, that some people who haven’t necessarily been able to share their ideas, can now find the space and the opportunity to do that.”
Think-A-Thon was inspired by observing Dr. Sheri Parks, the vice president of S
Since Dr. Francyne Huckaby, the associate dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, attended Dr. Parks’ latest Think-A-Thon, she has applied the strategies and techniques she learned at the event to TCU’s campus.
Elias-Lambert hopes Park’s Think-A-Thon structure and philosophy will result in constructive ideas at TCU that can be carried out, in a timely manner.
“My hope is that what comes out of the Think-A-Thon are actionable items that we can spend the next academic year trying to implement,” Elias-Lambert said.
Elias-Lambert said she believes faculty and staff will begin to decide when students will be included in the DEI conversation after the Think-A-Thon.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 351 of Rees-Jones Hall. Because the Think-A-Thon is a day-long event, plenty of snacks will be provided.
