The Office of Intercultural Affairs, in collaboration with the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement, is recruiting alumni/ae to participate on the inaugural Lebanon Valley College Inclusive Advisory Council (IAC), a team of diverse alumni/ae committed to advancing inclusive excellence initiatives for current students and graduates.

The Inclusive Advisory Council will work to bring diverse alumni/ae together to connect current students, expand the network of alumni/ae, and strengthen the College's efforts toward inclusive excellence. Please contact Sue Jones, director of alumni & parent engagement, at sjones@lvc.edu if you are interested in participating.  

Dr. Lewis E. Thayne, president, announced that Lebanon Valley College joined the newly formed Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a collective effort to improve how colleges and universities address immigration-related matters affecting their campuses. More than 200 colleges and universities have joined since the Alliance was formed in December 2017.

Student Government added a dedicated Equity Representative position. An Equity Representative is elected by each class to present the viewpoints of various underrepresented groups on campus throughout the year.  

Under the auspices of the Office of Intercultural Affairs and Inclusive Programs, the College innovated and expanded the Summer Enrichment Program. Previously a three-day program, the Summer Enrichment Program, which provides incoming underrepresented students early experience with life at the College, was expanded to a full week. Formerly called the Bridge Program, it combines peer mentoring, residential living, academic success, and leadership development.  

The 5th annual Symposium on Inclusive Excellence, which encourages students and staff to learn, grow, and commit as a campus to comprehensive and continuing engagement with our diverse community, was held. The entire day was reserved for educational sessions that inspired dialogue, a featured keynote speaker, and community lunch. 

Plans have begun for a new, accessible pedestrian bridge that will cross the railroad tracks between North and South campus.  

Increased support for Affinity Houses and their campus programming (Friendship House, Women's Services and Gender Resource Center, Men Influencing the Community House, and Stonewall House). 

An accessible ramp was installed as part of extensive renovations in the Carnegie Building (Admissions). 

The Engagement and Inclusion team hosted an August Week of Welcome that included identity-based socials as part of the programming. 

The Engagement and Inclusion team hosted a Leadership Retreat in November 2017 where inclusion was a topic woven through all presentations and directly addressed during the afternoon keynote. 

The Engagement and Inclusion team spearheaded the Pass My Plate initiative to educate campus regarding issues of world hunger. The proceeds raised will support three families in their struggle to maintain sustainable food sources. 

The Office of Community Service and Volunteerism organized service trips to Washington, D.C. (spring break) and Puerto Rico (summer).

The Office of Intercultural Affairs and Inclusive Programs (OIA) hosted a viewing of the documentary Why Not Us, along with a panel discussion about navigating campus as a first-generation student.

The Global Education Committee hosted "DACA: A Discussion with Dreamers. What Happens Now?"  

Through the generosity of Dr. Jonna-Lynn Knaur Mandelbaum '69, a full scholarship was established to support students of high promise but limited financial means from sub-Saharan Africa. The first scholarship was awarded to Shingirai Guchu, who joined LVC from Zimbabwe in August. Fatima Madondo and Darrell Tanyaradzwa Duri, also from Zimbabwe, enrolled in fall 2018. 

The second year of the fund helped launch the Career Closet on campus, which provides professional outfits free of charge to students; Intergroup Dialogue Facilitator Training (resulting in additional facilitators on campus who are able to provide programming); and a DACA programming event (DACA: A Discussion with Dreamers. What Happens Now?), which brought Dreamers to discuss personal experiences.