The Week & What's to Come?
Well, this marks the end of midterms week. It's funny because I did my share of complaining about midterms when I actually had one midterm. I guess going with the flow is the way to do it, right? Sure.
During the week I attended a Diversity Event put on by CIC-SHRM, the Central Illinois Chapter - Society for Human Resource Management. I'm taking Human Resource Management right now and we are required to go to at least one event CIC-SHRM puts on. I decided to go to their diversity event. They had a keynote speaker and a panel to field questions or expand on what the keynote speaker said.
Here's a picture of the event:
The quality of the presentation really surprised me. I assumed that because the event revolved around diversity, that nothing new would be surfaced. I've heard similar thing at workshops I've had to attend and it seems like people just kept inventing new ways to say the same thing. The keynote speaker effectively communicated what diversity is and what is not. The keynote speaker, Dr. Wesley McNeese, defined diversity as any mixture of things that is characterized by it's differences and similarities. He said it's not affirmative action, a variety of people in the workplace, or about a minority group. He related the things that make us different to silos. The silos can overlap and it's not only about the individual silos, but they can work together. You can come back to the different silos to fill our "oneness." I'm sure I'm not doing a great job of communicating his message, but I'm doing my best! I think one thing that one of the panelist said that really hit me is that she thinks it's offensive when someone approaches diversity as everyone being alike because differences are a reality and make us unique. It's interesting because it seems like that's what I've been taught in the past, to NOT see the differences. To see everyone as the same. But here it seemed like you should be able to acknowledge differences, but still realize we're all one.
To my friends who've just been waiting for some goofy post...they will come. I just figure that I need to put some substance in posts for the incoming freshman...mmmhmmm.
Peace easy, internet world. (Man, I think I use too many commas.)
During the week I attended a Diversity Event put on by CIC-SHRM, the Central Illinois Chapter - Society for Human Resource Management. I'm taking Human Resource Management right now and we are required to go to at least one event CIC-SHRM puts on. I decided to go to their diversity event. They had a keynote speaker and a panel to field questions or expand on what the keynote speaker said.
Here's a picture of the event:
The quality of the presentation really surprised me. I assumed that because the event revolved around diversity, that nothing new would be surfaced. I've heard similar thing at workshops I've had to attend and it seems like people just kept inventing new ways to say the same thing. The keynote speaker effectively communicated what diversity is and what is not. The keynote speaker, Dr. Wesley McNeese, defined diversity as any mixture of things that is characterized by it's differences and similarities. He said it's not affirmative action, a variety of people in the workplace, or about a minority group. He related the things that make us different to silos. The silos can overlap and it's not only about the individual silos, but they can work together. You can come back to the different silos to fill our "oneness." I'm sure I'm not doing a great job of communicating his message, but I'm doing my best! I think one thing that one of the panelist said that really hit me is that she thinks it's offensive when someone approaches diversity as everyone being alike because differences are a reality and make us unique. It's interesting because it seems like that's what I've been taught in the past, to NOT see the differences. To see everyone as the same. But here it seemed like you should be able to acknowledge differences, but still realize we're all one.
To my friends who've just been waiting for some goofy post...they will come. I just figure that I need to put some substance in posts for the incoming freshman...mmmhmmm.
Peace easy, internet world. (Man, I think I use too many commas.)
Labels: development, events, school
posted by Howard Kang at
Friday, October 17, 2008
4 Comments:
Ya. Looking at people as though you're color blind won't solve anything. It's just fighting ignorance with more ignorance. Good stuff.
Howard, glad to see you found value in the program. This is one of many quality programs the CIC-SHRM puts on every year. If any of your readers are interested they can see more event information at cic-shrm.org and on a larger scale they can get information on other chapters througout the state at the ISC-SHRM (Illinois State Council of the Society of Human Resources Managment) illinoisshrm.org.
Happy Thanksgiving...Look forward to seeing you in class next week.
Howard, I am glad you enjoyed the program and found it informative. Dr. Bob Hotes worked diligently to put together a good program for our SHRM Chapter.
Thank you for attending and we hope to see more UIS students at future CIC-SHRM Chapter events.
-Dave Ryan
CIC-SHRM Treasurer
I definitely enjoyed it. From what I hear from other students, the SHRM programs are going over very well!
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