In January 2019, Staci Hill left her home country of Dominica, an island in the Eastern Caribbean, to pursue her education at Bemidji State University. Now a sophomore, she has found a second home in Northern Minnesota.
Hill is pursuing a sport management degree in hopes of changing the sports culture and gender equality in the profession back home. Having played soccer for the Dominica National Football Association, she has witnessed first-hand the issues that face women on the field.
“I’ve seen the problems that women experience as female athletes,” Hill said. “You see the perks that male teams get compared to what the female teams get. I want to go back and fix those problems.”
Using her international perspective, Hill wants to encourage her Bemidji State student peers to learn more about the world around them and to understand each students’ unique point of view. To achieve this goal, she is an active member of the football and basketball cheer teams, the International Student Organization and the Black Student Union.
“I am an international student, so I may not know all about black American culture and black Americans might not know about Caribbean culture. We may have similar backgrounds, but we also have differences because of where we live,” Hill said. “I found my place in the Black Student Union with the comfort of being around people like me.”
The Black Student Union was founded in 2017 after a number of campus community members came together to discuss several issues that black college students face on predominantly white campuses. The organization encourages and supports student development through diversity, academics and social service while cultivating a spirit of unity and striving to promote multicultural awareness.
“Celebrating black history is important, because I believe it creates more of a sense of pride for those of us who are black or African American,” Dr. Gabriel Warren, assistant professor of business administration, said. “Because of our painful history, sometimes we overlook just how brilliant and impactful the contributions of blacks and African Americans have been to our country — and that needs to be celebrated.”
In celebration of Black History Month, BSU’s Black Student Union is hosting a number of events that are open free to the public. Held each year in February, Black History Month celebrates the achievements and legacies of African Americans in the United States, past and present. Campus events will begin Feb. 6 with a panel discussion and presentation titled “Who Am I,” beginning at 6 p.m. in Memorial Hall 240.
Calendar
Thursday, Feb. 6
6 p.m. – “Who Am I?” Discussion and Presentation
Location: Memorial Hall 240, BSU campus. Free and open to the public.
Contact: Dr. Gabriel Warren, assistant professor of business administration, gabriel.warren@bemidjistate.edu
Thursday, Feb. 13
6 p.m. – Presentation on Storytelling & Leadership within the Black Community
Location: Beaux Arts Ballroom, Hobson Memorial Union, BSU campus. Free and open to the public.
Contact: Dr. Gabriel Warren, assistant professor of business administration, gabriel.warren@bemidjistate.edu
Tuesday, Feb. 18
3 p.m. – Recruitment & Retention Strategies for Black Professors in Predominately White Institutions of Higher Education – Panel Discussion
The Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Bemidji State Black Student Union will hold a community wide discussion on the obstacles institutions face when trying to recruit, hire and retain black faculty members at predominately white institutions of higher education. The conversation will feature Dr. Egypt Grandison, Dr. David Frison and Dr. Gabriel Warren, assistant professors of business administration. Location: Beaux Arts Ballroom, Hobson Memorial Union, BSU campus. Free and open to the public.
Contact: Dr. Gabriel Warren, assistant professor of business administration, gabriel.warren@bemidjistate.edu
Tuesday, Feb. 25
6 p.m. – Everything You Wanted to Know About Being Black But Were Afraid to Ask
Location: Memorial Hall 240, BSU campus. Free and open to the public.
Contact: Dr. Gabriel Warren, assistant professor of business administration, gabriel.warren@bemidjistate.edu
Recurring Events
Tuesday’s and Thursdays (Starting Feb. 17 – 27)
7 a.m. – 11:45 p.m. Black History Month Book Corner
The A.C. Clark Library and CDEI will co-host a Black History Month book corner featuring librarian recommendations of books featuring iconic African American authors and themes every Tuesday and Thursday. A communal reflection board will also be available.Location: Main floor, A.C. Clark Library, BSU campus. Free and open to the public.
Contact: Dr. Ye “Solar” Hong, CDEI coordinator, ye.hong@bemidjistate.edu
Contact
- Dr. Gabriel Warren, assistant professor of business administration; gabriel.warren@bemidjistate.edu
- Dr. Ye “Solar” Hong, coordinator, BSU/NTC Center for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; ye.hong@bemidjistate.edu
Links
Bemidji State University, located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota, occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. Enrolling nearly 5,000 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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