SBA students set to ACHIEVE more inclusive workplaces

SBA学生托里·格林(Torey Green)从未真正将残疾视为多样性的一个方面, equity, 和包容(DEI)，直到他有机会在SBA的一个顶点活动上听两位来自导盲犬的演讲者 ACHIEVE program.

"Not everything in life can be seen," Green says. "I never would have known that one of the speakers was vision impaired. So, given the opportunity to hear them out and hear them speak, 这让我体会到了他们的感受，明白了一些我从未想过的事情."

这只是SBA学生如何通过ACHIEVE项目对DEI的新关注获得有价值的观点的一个例子. All SBA undergrads must complete ACHIEVE, a series of three courses that teach students core competencies including communication, networking, professionalism, critical thinking, and ethical decision making. 该项目在2021-2022学年开始将DEI作为其重点关注领域之一.

“对于从365英国上市官网毕业的准备成为包容性商业专业人士的学生来说，这是一个商业案例和一个人类案例," says ACHIEVE Program Manager Virginia McMunn. "It is a skill set and competency that is wanted by employers, and affirmed by national associations and research-based best practices. And, our students appreciate the opportunity to learn more about DEI, especially inclusive practices, as part of ACHIEVE."

ACHIEVE的DEI重点始于由前ACHIEVE项目经理安德里亚·米尔和OU市场营销教授史蒂文·斯坦顿领导的试点. Mill and Stanton worked with Dr. Deirdre Pitts, OU's Associate Dean for Faculty & 教职员事务和专业发展，为其中一个ACHIEVE班创建DEI课程. 三人接着编写了一个综合计划，将DEI元素纳入所有三个ACHIEVE类, 包括将Pitts的演讲改编成两个视频，分别在前两节ACHIEVE课程中播放. The first video delves into what DEI means and why it matters, 而第二个重点是包容性领导技能以及如何在工作场所促进DEI.

“我们已经真正认识到，学生们建立多元化能力的接触点越多, equity, and inclusion, the better," McMunn says. "There's benefits to integrating DEI in every class, or in every activity and experience that students participate in. So we've been really thoughtful about deepening what that can look like in ACHIEVE."

Building DEI practices among volunteers

ACHIEVE volunteers Mark Guthrie, Gabriella Minaudo and Jasmine Hines (left to right)

ACHIEVE还把DEI作为培训90多名支持该项目的活跃志愿者的重点。麦克姆恩说，这个想法实际上来自一名志愿者.

"A lot of the volunteers are recruiters, so they know what they're looking for when they hire," she says. “所以他们把这些建议带给我们，让我们有机会让所有SBA学生都意识到这一点, which is really powerful."

ACHIEVE's volunteer orientation now includes tips on inclusive mentorship, 它为志愿者提供的电子邮件通讯分享了一些主题的文章，比如在讨论专业等话题时认识到无意识的偏见.

"Our volunteers have really shared in our commitment to DEI, 既要包容我们的学生，也要教会我们的学生如何在未来的职业生涯中成为公平和包容的商业专业人士," McMunn says. “他们非常愿意就我们如何共同努力促进商业包容性进行坦诚的对话."

Jasmine Hines, ACHIEVE volunteer and Senior Talent Relationship Manager at Rocket Central, 她说，她很欣赏ACHIEVE对DEI的高度重视，因为DEI也是她的雇主的主要关注点.

"I think it's important for people to be comfortable with bringing their full, true, unique selves to not just work, but any space, every single day," Hines says.

Gabriella Minaudo, ACHIEVE西北互惠银行米拉贝拉网络办公室的志愿者和校园招聘人员, says ACHIEVE is an important and unique program.

她说:“我与很多不同的校园合作，但没有一个校园有像ACHIEVE这样的项目。. “我觉得对学生来说，学习这些他们在课堂上通常学不到的东西是非常有价值的, but are still great lessons for them to know in their professional careers."

Exposure to different experiences

Dave Bann, Director of Corporate Relations, Leader Dogs for the Blind

ACHIEVE的DEI编程的高潮部分是一个专注于DEI主题的顶级演讲者活动, sponsored by Oakland University Credit Union. 麦克姆恩说，2022-23年的两个顶点活动都广受欢迎，并鼓励学生将残疾视为DEI的一部分. The fall event featured OU professor Darlene Groomes, a researcher in vocational rehabilitation, while the winter event featured Jeff Hawkins, Consultant and Leader Dog Handler, and Dave Bann, Director of Corporate Relations, with Leader Dogs for the Blind.

麦克姆恩和她的工作人员通过ACHIEVE志愿者马克·格思里与导盲犬组织建立了联系, Senior Director and Chief Information Officer at AM General. 格思里回忆起自己在俄勒冈州立大学读书时，向一位盲人同楼同学学习的经历，那次经历很有启发性，但并不常见, 他说，他很高兴有一大群在校学生(包括格林)通过ACHIEVE顶点活动有了类似的经历.

"Depending on [students'] background or where they grew up, they might not get the exposure [to people with different life experiences], let alone an appreciation," Guthrie says. “离开大学，然后进入职场，从接触这些项目中受益，这是非常宝贵的."

ACHIEVE's capstone events have had a major impact on Green and many other students. Valeria Lezama, a recent SBA grad, was struck by Bann and Hawkins' description of feeling ignored in social situations.

她说:“我最大的收获是，我们没有必要评判任何人的外表。. “我们必须让他们参与到活动中，即使他们是不同的，或者有不同的能力. We need to treat them with the same respect and make them feel comfortable. Maybe that's something that you don't realize until someone makes you see that part."

DEI for a better future

ACHIEVE学生Cameron Wright和ACHIEVE学生助理Erin McElreath(从左至右)

SBA学生报告说，ACHIEVE的DEI编程对他们作为商业专业人士的成长产生了重大影响. In a recent survey, 学生们将“为商业中的公平和包容做准备”作为ACHIEVE对他们职业发展的最大贡献之一. 超过80%的学生也同意，ACHIEVE的DEI视频提高了对公平和包容的自我意识和批判性思维.

The ACHIEVE Instructors, Troy Nelson and Michelle English, 都是杰出的教育工作者，他们一直在思考如何才能最好地支持学生. “对于ACHIEVE团队来说，阅读学生们的反馈，看看他们如何说他们将把所学到的东西运用到未来的职业生涯中，这是非常强大的," McMunn says.

SBA学生卡梅伦·赖特说，他对自己在ACHIEVE中学到的DEI知识感到惊喜.

"Initially, honestly, I was like, 'DEI is a topic everyone kind of brushes over. Got to do it to get the grade, right?'" he says. "And then once it started happening, it was super interesting. I think in today's day and age, DEI is so much more important. 向进入职场的年轻专业人士介绍这一点，只会让他们有一个更美好的未来."