By Abram Farrington | Staff Writer
Baylor held its annual Faculty and Staff of Color Reception Thursday afternoon to welcome new staff for this school year and celebrate plans for the new year, one being the new memorial on Founder’s Mall. As faculty and staff filled Truett’s Great Hall, cultural food was prepared and jazz music filled the room.
President Linda Livingstone said she finds value in having a diverse faculty at Baylor, noting that everyone longs to have a sense of community and purpose.
“We want everyone who is new here to feel like they are a part of the Baylor community,” Livingstone said. “Smaller gatherings beyond the big things we do help us build that community faster.”
Livingstone said she prides herself on making the Baylor staff and faculty a rich community and feels grateful to be a part of that mission. Whether that is through large gatherings or small receptions, Livingstone said she is privileged to welcome faculty and staff of diverse cultural backgrounds.
In honor of the new school year and additions to the team, Livingstone extended a thank you to all faculty and staff of color.
“We are glad that you are here at Baylor. We view you as a gift to our institution,” Livingstone said. “We are a richer and a more vibrant place because of your presence and what you contribute here.”
Dr. Justina Ogodo, an assistant professor in the School of Education, said she initially doubted whether she would fit in at her new job.
“When I first got here, I had to ask myself if people were really this nice,” Ogodo said. “I came to find out that they really are this nice and welcoming.”
Now entering her sixth year of teaching, Ogodo said she feels welcomed by the Baylor family and loves the community.
According to Livingstone, Baylor is stronger with a more diverse presence in both the student and faculty bodies, and is grateful to have diverse people a part of the Baylor family.
According to Dr. Sharra Hynes, vice president for student life, this year marks the most diverse freshman undergraduate class in Baylor’s history, as well as the class with the highest number of international students. Having a diverse faculty and staff mirrors the diversity of the freshman undergraduate class.
“That says a lot in the climate that we’re in right now,” Hynes said. “We know international students sometimes have challenges getting visas to come.”
Livingstone highlighted several upcoming events, including the opening of the Memorial to the Enslaved Persons on campus this semester.
“That is a memorial that honors the enslaved people that helped build the original campus of Baylor in Independence,” Livingstone said. “We do plan to officially dedicate that space sometime after Homecoming.”
