Columbia-Greene Community College welcomed Trevor W. Coleman (pictured), Senior Communications Advisor for the Chancellor of the State University of New York, as its first speaker in the new series “Conversations at CoGreene: Unpacking Systemic Racism.”
Coleman, the Senior Communications Advisor for the SUNY Chancellor and an award-winning journalist, author, and strategic communications expert, virtually addressed the college community ahead of the start of its Fall semester on Tuesday, August 25, delivering a presentation titled “Diversity and Inclusion: The Challenge of Tomorrow is Here – Today!”
Coleman’s presentation touched on the impact institutional understanding can have on students at all points of the collegiate process, from recruitment to matriculation to graduation.
“Diversity and inclusion should not be looked at as simply a philanthropic endeavor,” he said. “It’s not just a moral and educational imperative, it’s also a business imperative that institutions understand how to recruit these students, and how to create educational environments where students feel like they are part of things, have a sense of ownership, and feel respected.”
Coleman also touched on the effects racial tensions are having on college campuses nationwide, and the importance of including students in all types of conversations. Faculty members might ask for feedback on course materials, for instance, or students could call attention to community issues of which administrators are not aware.
“Many of the young people leading the movement are our students, and they are thinking about these things,” Coleman said. “If students want to engage in a conversation about something, we should go to that space with them without judgment, listen to them, and even ask them for their advice in creating a more inclusive environment. This is a road of growth for everyone.”
Coleman has a long and storied history in journalism and urban affairs; in 1992, he was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize as a lead writer for a team of Detroit News reporters writing a year-long series called “Who Speaks for Black America?”
He has been a guest speaker at many colleges and universities across the nation, including Harvard Law School, the University of Michigan and University of Michigan School of Law, Wayne State University, and others, and has also appeared on the Tavis Smiley Show, NPR Morning Edition, HuffPost Live, and many other programs.
A native of Hudson, N.Y., Coleman received his undergraduate degree in Communications from The Ohio State University, completed a graduate journalism fellowship at the University of Maryland at College Park, and is a Fellow of the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism at The University of Maryland. He also is a graduate of the American Press Institute in Reston, Va., and the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla. Coleman resides in Bethesda, Md.
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