The Innovation in Diversity and Inclusion Grant Project Team is thrilled to announce that we received a record number of applications for this award cycle. In fact, the number is up 400% from last year! Although we would have loved to fund everything, we did have to make some decisions. The proposals (listed with point of contact) that will be fully or partially funded are:
First-time recipients
- A&P Open Access Packets (Jennifer O’Malley) – Creating an open educational resource (OER) to enhance the A&P laboratory experience and reduce resource disparities
- FACE Partnership Showcase (Brianna VanMeter) – An outreach initiative to bring Family and Community Education (FACE) Coordinators in District 186 to LLCC to increase awareness of our resources and enhance collaboration
- Jacksonville Lunch & Learns (Keri Mason) – Discussion events during Deaf History Month and Black History Month to foster cultural awareness and respect for lived experiences
- LincUp Sensory Stress Breaks (Kim Alexander) – Sensory materials and activities to foster social interaction and build relationships, particularly for neurodivergent students and those dealing with anxiety
- PTK Honors in Action Stories Project (Ryan Roberts) – Vlogging kits for conducting interviews, starting with documenting stories in Springfield about lived experiences with race and representation
Continued support
- BSU Fest (Kimberly Williams-Wilson) – LLCC Black Student Union hosts students from District 186 high schools for an educational experience about college life and Black culture at LLCC to encourage enrollment in a supportive community. They have received positive feedback and hope to build a series of events throughout the spring.
- Fit for Life (Yvonne Cosentino) – The OTA program has partnered with the Boys & Girls Club on a holistic approach to education, wellness, and community engagement. They hope to expand the program to include another not-for-profit partner.
If these examples spark any ideas, we hope you will watch for the application to open again next fall. Thanks to everyone who submitted this year. It is clear we have a community that believes in this grant’s goals!
We look forward to celebrating the progress of these projects and highlighting them more in-depth throughout the spring!
The IDI Grant Project Team
Laura Anderson, Kristin Booher, Michelle Pulce-Flynn, Sonja Spencer, Adam Watkins
Don’t miss your chance to apply for the Innovation in Diversity and Inclusion (IDI) grant! It’s an opportunity for LLCC employees, departments and students/student clubs to receive support in addressing or celebrating inclusivity and diversity at LLCC. Categories to consider include training, teaching and learning, recruitment and retention, and environment and processes.
Members of the LLCC Black Student Union (BSU) welcomed approximately 60 District 186 seniors to BSU Fest Friday, April 21, 2023, on the Springfield campus.
The recruitment event covered two needs: to recruit more minority students to attend LLCC and to recruit students to join LLCC’s Black Student Union while attending the college. The overall event was geared toward helping students make sound financial decisions when deciding where to attend college. Students also learned that by attending LLCC their first two years, they can have a sense of belonging by joining BSU, a quality education at little or no out-of-pocket expense and still transfer to an HBCU as a junior to fulfill their educational dream. Community vendors, faculty and staff were invited to engage with the students and show the diverse environment that LLCC can build for its students to succeed.