Black Cultural Center at Georgia Tech

Dear Georgia Tech Alumni, Students, Faculty, and Staff Members:

My name is Archie Ervin, vice president for Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Georgia Tech.

On behalf of my colleague Dene Sheheane, president of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association, we would like to invite you to take part in the initial planning processes for establishing a Black Cultural Center at Georgia Tech.

As part of its 2030 Strategic Plan and vision, the Institute has pledged to create further opportunities for intercultural engagement and learning. The establishment of a Black Cultural Center is just one way we are expanding this reach.

Over the summer, Dene and I have done some preliminary work with the Georgia Tech Black Alumni Organization and the Institute’s Cultural Centers Executive Committee to launch the initial steps of the planning process.

We would appreciate your participation for parts of a two-day planning session, scheduled September 23 and 24, 2021 to welcome your input, advice, and vision for the Center. It is critical that we have the voices of all our community members heard.

During this two-day kick-off planning period, we will be joined by consultants from the Black Culture Center at Purdue University and the Association for Black Culture in Higher Education to help us facilitate the planning process that will include: visioning and brainstorming around the Center’s mission; program design; characteristics desired for the Black Cultural Center director’s position; and other immediate needs for the Center.

At the following link, you will find in-person and virtual opportunities for participation: https://gatech.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9HrdRU0wmggQeoK. As your schedule permits, we ask that you please register where you can to lend your voice and participation.

For further information or questions about public meeting session opportunities, reservations, please contact Tia Jewell, Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program and portfolio manager, at tia.jewell@gatech.edu.

As an Institute that thrives on diversity where all voices are heard, we are also proud to announce that we will also establish a Multicultural Center on our campus as well. That process will begin later this fall, and we would like to have as many of you involved in that planning process, too. (More information to come on the Multicultural Center later.)

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can provide further information on the September Black Cultural Center planning opportunities. We thank you in advance for your participation with this exciting and important project.

Regards,

Archie W. Ervin, Ph.D.
Vice President, Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
aervin@gatech.edu

Dene Sheheane
President, Georgia Tech Alumni Association
dene.sheheane@alumni.gatech.edu