LVC Community Inspired By Dr. Calvin D. Sun During Inclusive Excellence Symposium

“Go climb that mountain.”

The closing words from Dr. Calvin D. Sun, keynote speaker for the College’s annual Symposium on Inclusive Excellence, to a standing room only crowd in Frederic K. Miller Chapel launched the day on a motivational note. 

Dr. Sun, an emergency medicine resident physician, civil rights activist, dancer, and entrepreneur based in New York City, spent an hour sharing his story and inspiring the LVC community with tales of adventure, self-discovery, and perseverance. 

He shared the impact of the loss of his father, his journey through medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, and a last-minute trip to Egypt that sparked his passion for travel. Weaved throughout these tales were inspiring pieces of advice, including:

“Don’t give back, give as you go.”

“Luck is opportunity plus preparation so work hard.”

“The biggest risk you can take is not taking any at all.”

“At the end of the day, what kind of story do you want?”

Watch this short video clip for more wisdom from Dr. Sun. 

The afternoon of the Symposium featured interactive simulations, dialogues, and educational sessions based around inclusivity. Dr. Sun hosted two of the sessions, one focusing on travel and another on work-life balance. Additional sessions hosted by LVC students, faculty, and staff covered fake news, women in STEM, disabilities, immigration, and more.

Also during the Symposium, President Lewis E. Thayne awarded Students Helping Seniors the annual President’s Service Award. This student organization connects LVC students with senior citizens in our community and has grown to about 60 members in just its second year. 

Finally, the College celebrated the rebranding of the Center for Disability Resources to the newly named Center for Accessibility.