As we turn the calendar page this week and start a new month, we transition from January, which includes the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to February, which is Black History Month. That makes this a fitting opportunity to look back on Inclusive Excellence Week, which was hosted in the College of Veterinary Medicine the week of January 15 by Veterinarians as One Inclusive Community for Empowerment (V.O.I.C.E.) and featured several components, including a veterinary student panel discussion.
The week of events and activities began on Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the annual Day of Service for Purdue students, faculty, and staff to connect with the community and provide support to new and ongoing service projects. Members of the PVM community were invited to connect with various local agencies and services to provide a helping hand. Those agencies included Food Finders, LTHC Homeless Services, the PVM Food Pantry, Hanna Community Center, Lafayette Urban Ministry, and Willowstone Family Services.
Tuesday brought the opportunity for PVM students, staff, and faculty to attend a virtual seminar entitled, “Building a Culture of Collective Care: A Relational Approach to Inclusion,” presented by Ciarra Jones, M.T.S., who is the CEO and founder of Ciarra Jones Consulting, LLC. Co-sponsored by the PVM Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Zoom presentation was shown in Lynn 1136 to any who wanted to gather together to participate.
The week’s events culminated with a session involving a panel of DVM students who shared their experiences to help break down barriers and cultivate a more inclusive environment. The student panel discussion was moderated by Jordan Toney, of the DVM Class of 2027, who is president of the Purdue VOICE Chapter.
The panel members spoke from the perspectives of a variety of aspects of diversity. Each shared about their personal journeys and the various ways that people can help ensure a truly welcoming environment in the college. The panel members concluded the session by sharing something about themselves and their perspectives. Among the thoughts expressed were: “Take the extra step to care;” “Seeing others happy makes me happy;” “Be willing to do hard and scary things.”
A special thank you to the panelists for candidly sharing their thoughts and experiences and to Jordan for thoughtfully and kindly guiding the discussion, as well as to VOICE for coordinating Inclusive Excellence Week.