You’re cordially invited to join us for the inaugural Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Collaborative Forum between Rio Salado College and American Public University System (APUS). The forum is part of an ongoing effort of both institutions to address and better understand social justice and economic mobility. Join us for a panel discussion of relevant topics featuring students, faculty, and subject-matter experts.
Dr. Terrell Strayhorn is President/CEO of Do Good Work Educational Consulting LLC. He also works as Professor of Urban Education at Virginia Union University, where he serves as Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. Most recently, he was on the faculty at The Ohio State University, where he served as Director of the Center for Higher Education Enterprise (CHEE) and Founding Director of the Center for IDEAS within the College of Education and Human Ecology.
Dr. Strayhorn maintains an active and highly visible research agenda focusing on major policy issues in education: student access and achievement; issues of race, equity and diversity; impact of college on students, and student learning and development. His is a foremost authority on college students’ sense of belonging and author of 11 books and over 150 journal articles and chapters.
Known for using the hashtag #DoGoodWork on social media, as a way of crowd-sourcing useful content, Strayhorn was named one of the country’s top diversity scholars by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education in 2011, one of Business First’s “Top 40 under 40,” one of the “Top 20 to Know in Education,” and became the youngest full professor in Ohio State’s history in 2014. He has been quoted in major news outlets including the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside HigherEd, Huffington Post, and newspapers across the nation. He has been a guest on several podcasts and radio talk shows.
Hannah Via is a senior at American Public University System, majoring in Psychology and minoring in English. After finishing her degree at APUS, she hopes to go on to graduate school to obtain a Ph.D. in Mental Health Counseling. She currently serves on the executive board for a variety of clubs, including the Jewish Student Association, Active Minds, Golden Key International Honor Society, and Sociology at Work, among others. Outside of school, she currently interns for CYJ-TX as a Mental Health Care Intern, where she focuses on creating and implementing mental health and gender diversity staff training programs and initiatives.
My name is Shayla Pollard, I am a dual enrollment student at Mountain Pointe High School and Rio Salado. I am going to NAU next year on the Lumberjack scholarship to study biomedical sciences and minor in chemistry and Spanish. I am the president of my high school's Language Honors Society and Science National Honors Society and I am an officer in the National Honor Society and Rio Salado's Phi Theta Kappa; I am also a thespian. I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and dogs!
Willis Jackson IV is a student at American Public University Systems pursuing a Bachelor of Philosophy.
In addition to being a University Ambassador, he is highly active and dedicated to actively helping to nurture and grow several university organizations through roles such as; President of AMU/APU Model UN club, Vice President of Communications and Historian for Pi Gamma Mu (West Virginia Iota Chapter), Vice President of Professional Development for the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Vice President of the AALIGN (The African American Learning, Inclusion, and guidance Network), Vice President of APUS Student Veterans of America, Secretary of APUS LGBTQ+ Students and Friends, and Treasurer of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity. Currently, he works part-time as a scanning and filing clerk at a Trust and Estate Planning Organization.
Cordero Holmes is a 32 year old father of 4 who returned to school after a decade removed. Finding it difficult to adjust to life during high school Cordero began using drugs and drinking alcohol heavily. His substance abuse was a contributing factor to the life of crime he began to lead and ultimately found himself in the Arizona Department of Corrections for ten years. It was in the department of corrections where Cordero enrolled in Rio Salado College's re-entry program and began studying Addiction and Substance Use Disorders. Cordero has obtained a level 1 Addiction and Substance Use Disorders certification, and will acquire the level ll certification at the end of this semester. He is a machine operator at Western Stucco Products, Rio Salado College's student senator, and was just elected as Phi Theta Kappa's Arizona Regional Executive Development Officer.