BSU Welcomes New Coordinator of the Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Bemidji State University welcomes Dr. Ye “Solar” Hong as the coordinator of the Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

The Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a student-driven initiative. BSU’s Student Senate passed a bill to develop the center in February 2016, and renovation of space in the Hobson Memorial Union to create a home for the center began in November 2017. The center gives Bemidji State a hub to promote and reinforce its shared fundamental values of civic engagement and leadership and international and multicultural understanding in a space safe for all students, faculty and staff.

As coordinator for the center, Hong is committed to serving students from diverse backgrounds with the ultimate goals of increasing diversity, creating a safe space on campus, enhancing the international and multicultural understanding of students and being a professional staff member who students can turn to and rely on.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to join the team at BSU,” Hong said, “I look forward to creating a welcoming, inclusive, and safe campus environment for individuals from diverse backgrounds and assisting students in reaching their full potential in various aspects of life.”

Hong previously served as the coordinator for graduate students and international students at Ohio University. There she connected students to university resources and contributed to creating a safe space for minority groups on campus. She also served in the Chinese Students and Scholars Association helping Chinese students transition to campus life in the U.S.

She has a bachelor’s degree in English for international finance from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in China, a master’s degree in sports administration and business administration from Ohio University and a doctor in higher education also from Ohio University.

Hong uses the English name “Solar,” as she wants to deliver her “solar power” to impact the lives of the people around her.

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MN State logoBemidji State University, located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota, occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. Enrolling more than 5,100 students, Bemidji State offers more than 80 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. The university’s Shared Fundamental Values include environmental stewardship, civic engagement and international and multicultural understanding. For more, visit bemidjistate.edu or find us at BemidjiState on most of your favorite social media networks.

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