NEC Welcomes New Director of Diversity and Inclusion
About Dr. Erica Sigauke
My name is Dr. Erica Sigauke. I am very excited to join New England College and be part of its powerful mission geared towards the academic achievement and transformation of students who will not only transform themselves but rather extend that to their world.
I gained extensive experience developing, planning, and implementing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that changed the lives of many in both Africa and the United States of America.
I have a passion and desire to make a difference in the lives of others through the application of some of my skills. This is a gift I possessed since childhood through my UBUNTU African philosophy which values community, selflessness, love, respect, empathy, and compassion, personal and cultural values.
I am also enthusiastic and self-motivated with a collaborative attitude which thrives to open doors for others and help them achieve their goals and visions despite their different backgrounds. The concerns about diversity, equity and inclusion enables me to continue search for more ideas on how to address some of our diversity challenges. That led me to chair and also be a committee member of various diversity and inclusion committees at several organizations I worked at over the years.
My hopes and dreams in the upcoming semesters are to take an active leadership role in furthering diversity and inclusion practices at New England College. I will create some additional long and short term programs that will open safe spaces for mutual conversations for people to be part of the ripples of hope towards transformation. As long as the students and the community are committed to engage in learning, growing and valuing collaborative ideas, my desire to build human dignity, will help promote unity and academic excellence.
Some of the initiatives I wish to accomplish are as follows:
- Be present and identify students’ various areas of needs and help address them
- Relationship building through sharing cultural and personal values
- Establishing diversity and inclusion leadership opportunities for students
- Creating a Diversity and inclusion Art program
- Collaborate with other departments and help promote diversity and inclusion
- Develops diversity self-care awareness resources
- Develop diversity workshops and presentations
- Establish a diversity and social media page
I believe that equipping our students with diversity, inclusion and wisdom, will help them become empathetic global citizens confident in their vocations regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, language, ability or disabilities, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or country of origin.
Together, we can make a positive impact in this world.
