Dear SCU Community:

As we head into the month of May, the energy on campus is palpable with many programs, festivities, and celebrations to look forward to. This month’s newsletter highlights a number of these efforts, and we encourage all members of the SCU community to take advantage of these opportunities to engage and participate. A special congratulations to the 3Ls in the School of Law that will be graduating in mid-May, as well as our undergraduate seniors that will be graduating this June.

Community Conversations

In light of the recent national demonstrations, and as an opportunity to reflect on SCU's teach-in All Out for Gaza yesterday, we will be holding two Community Conversations for the SCU community to virtually come together and dialogue. These will be held via zoom on  May 9th: 12:00 - 1:00pm and May 22nd: 3:00 - 4:00pm. Please register (by clicking on the date) if you are interested in participating.

Upcoming Heritage Months

We conclude the Spring term by honoring Asian Pacific Islander and South Asian American Month (APISA) throughout May and LGBTQ+ Pride Month from mid-May through June. The formal program of events are being finalized and more information can be accessed here.

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UNIT UPDATES

I. Inclusive Excellence Division

• A special thank you to all that gave to the Inclusive Excellence area and the Diversity & Inclusions funds as part of the record breaking Day of Giving that was held on April 10th. The support is critical in building the momentum for DEI efforts across the campus.
• In mid-April, we received the news that Santa Clara University was selected as part of the Institute on Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation™ (TRHT) Campus Centers.
• A special thank you to the attendees to the Spring Quarter Diversity Forum on April 29th. We had updates on the Accessibility, Student Funding and Reimbursements, Wellness Resources, as well continued conversations with these topics, and an added focus on the HSI initiative. Resources from the March Conversation can be accessed here and notes from the Spring Forum will be made available soon.

II. LEAD Scholars Program

• The LEAD Scholars Program annual Senior Celebration will be held Monday May 13, 2024 5:30pm-7:30pm in Locatelli Center. This event celebrates all of their graduating LEAD Scholars, and highlights them officially being the first in their family to graduate from college! RSVP here if you would like to attend.
• In April, the LEAD Scholars Program hosted various events for students including a site visit to Google and their annual Senior/Alumni Happy Hour to kick off graduation celebrations. In May, they will be offering an entrepreneurship panel, wellness workshops, a beach trip, and an adulting series exploring such topics as wellness and workplace dynamics.
• We're thrilled to announce that we've received a record number of applications for our incoming 1st year LEAD Scholars program! As we eagerly await the deposit deadline, we're gearing up to welcome our newest cohort. In preparation for LEAD Week Fall 2024, we've commenced training for over 40 student staff members who will be joining our LEAD Scholars team.

III. Multicultural Center (MCC)

• A number of Cultural Shows will be taking place this May and early June:
• May 3 - Intandesh’s Rangeeli Shaam Culture Show
• May 4 - Korean Student Association Culture Show
• May 11 - Middle Eastern and North African Student Association Cultural Show
• May 18 - Queer People of Color Association Culture Gala
• May 19 - Intandesh’s Mock Shaadi
• May 24 - Latiné Student Union’s Culture Show
• May 25 - African Student Association's Culture Show
• May 26 - Ka Mana’o O Hawaii’s Luau Culture Show
• The annual MCC McBeary’s will be held on May 24th.

IV. Office of Accessible Education (OAE)

• Spring quarter is flying by and we want to make sure that everyone schedules their finals ASAP! It might seem like you have plenty of time but it will be here before you know it. The OAE has very limited space so if you want to test in the OAE get those requests in today!
• If you are having any problems making this happen or if you have any questions, please make sure you come into the OAE so that we can help you.
• Those who are graduating, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! We are super happy for you and wish you all the best in your future endeavors. If you feel you or someone you know needs accommodations for the ceremonies, please reach out to us so that we can make it happen.
• Congratulations to the Disabled Students Union (DSU), which has been approved for full RSO status. DSU will be working towards uplifting disability culture and growing awareness of campus accessibility needs.

V. Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX

• The staff of Loyola Hall invites you to our very first Open House on Wednesday, May 8 from 2:30pm to 4:00pm. This is your chance to grab some ice cream and learn more about the teams that reside in Loyola Hall:
  • University Finance Office
  • Human Resources
  • University Marketing & Communications
  • University Relations
  • Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX
• There will also be some fun giveaways and a chance to enter a drawing opportunity for more prizes! To help us plan accordingly, please RSVP HERE by May 1.

VI. Office for Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)

• The 4th SCU PowWow will take place on Saturday, May 4th at the St. Ignatian Lawn in the center of campus (behind Kenna). The PowWow will go from 10am - 7pm. 

• In addition to the PowWow, SCU will be hosting the 2nd Annual Native American Symposium on Friday, May 3rd from 9:00am - 4:30pm in the Mayer Theatre. The focus of this year’s Symposium will be on Reconciliation. To learn more: https://www.scu.edu/diversity/native-symposium-2024/  

 

• In collaboration with the Jewish Student Union and Campus Ministry, a screening of the HBO Documentary Tree of Life will be shown on Monday, May 6th at 3:30pm in Viewing Room A in the Library. This documentary looks at one of the deadliest anti-Semitic attacks in American history at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. 

• A special thank you to everyone that participated in the campus-wide celebrations that helped to recognize the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. 

VII. Office for Multicultural Learning (OML)

• Student Leadership Awards: We are seeking nominations for its 2024 Student Leadership Awards! These awards will be presented at our six Multicultural Recognition Ceremonies: Asian Pacific Islander South Asian (APISA), Black/Pan-African, Latiné, Lavender Graduation (for the LGBTQ+ community), Native American, and Middle Eastern and North African (MENA).
  • Submit a nomination form to nominate yourself or a graduating student. If you would like to nominate multiple students, you must fill out a new form each time.

• Multicultural Recognition Ceremony Registration: Join us for the 2024 Multicultural Recognition Ceremonies to celebrate the achievements of Santa Clara University's graduating students! Graduating students, please register in order to participate in one or multiple ceremonies. SCU non-graduating students, staff, faculty and alumni, submit your RSVP If you are interested in attending.  Deadline to RSVP, Monday, May 20th at 12pm.
  
  • Wednesday, June 5, 2024 in Williman Room:
    - 5:00-6:00pm Native American Recognition Ceremony
    - 7:00-8:00pm MENA Recognition Ceremony 
  • Saturday, June 8, 2024 in Locatelli:
    1:00-2:30pm APISA Recognition Ceremony
    6:00-7:30pm Black/Pan African Recognition Ceremony
  • Sunday June 9, 2024 in Locatelli:

    1:00-2:30pm Latiné Recognition Ceremony

    6:00-7:30pm Lavender Graduation 
• Word on the Street Podcast: Check out the third episode of Word on the Street: An OML/RRC Podcast! In this episode, “Check Your Privilege”, SIE Shelly examines the topics of social privilege using Gaby Hinsliff’s ‘Check your privilege’ used to annoy me. Now I get it. Our hosts will dive into personal experiences navigating social dynamics through the lens of power and privilege. What does privilege mean to you? How does it manifest in daily life? What does it look like among SCU students? Listen and share your thoughts!
  • Find the episode on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music and anywhere you listen to podcasts!
• Lunch and Learn: The International Student Experience at SCU - Join us for a discussion on the realities and experiences of SCU international students. From adjusting to American culture, navigating the immigration and visa process, managing expenses and high rates of food insecurity, come and investigate the SCU international student experience.
  • • SAVE THE DATE:  Wednesday, May 15 from 12-1pm in the Williman Room

• This past month, the Rainbow Resource Center and Campus Ministry sent a delegation of students to attend IgnatianQ: a conference for LGBTQ+ students from around the country to come together and share the experience of what it is like to be queer at a Jesuit Catholic university. The conference was held at St. Louis University this year and our students had a blast!

VIII. Office of the University Ombuds

• The University Ombuds is a confidential, informal, independent and impartial communication resource for SCU staff, faculty and students. The Ombuds assists SCU community members by offering 1:1 communication consultation, skill building and coaching, as well as mediation and facilitation with multiple parties with conversational tools and structures for productive sessions. 
• If you’d like consult confidentially with the Ombuds to identify issues, goals, and options, contact the Office of the Ombuds at ombuds@scu.edu; 408-551-3542.

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DEI RESOURCES FROM THE LIBRARY

The library is celebrating APIDA Heritage Month with a book display. The display highlights authors and stories from Asian Pacific Islander Desi American backgrounds. Special thanks to the members of the APISA ERG for their book selections and developing the display. 

*To access the SCU library resources you must login with SCU username and password. 

eBook Recommendations:

Ocean Passages : Navigating Pacific Islander and Asian American Literatures

Description: In her path breaking book, Ocean Passages, Erin Suzuki explores how movement through--and travel across--the ocean mediates the construction of Asian American and Indigenous Pacific subjectivities in the wake of the colonial conflicts that shaped the modern transpacific. - Provided by Publisher 

Bring Now the Angels: Poems

Description: Ahmed’s second book of poetry explores the terrain of loss—of a beloved family member, of human dignity & potential, of the earth as it stands, of hope. Her poems weave mourning with the erratic process of healing, skepticism with an unsteady attempt to regain faith.

California Dreaming: Movement and Place in the Asian American Imaginary

Description: A multi-genre collection featuring works by Asian American artists based in California. Exploring the places of “Asian America” through the migration and circulation of the arts, this volume highlights creative processes and the flow of objects to understand the rendering of California’s imaginary. Here, “California” is interpreted as both a specific locale and an identity marker that moves, linking the state’s cultural imaginary, labor, and economy with Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the world. - Provided by Publisher.

Streaming Media Recommendations: 

Kanopy A streaming video service containing thousands of videos from leading producers around the world, including PBS, BBC, California Newsreel, A&E, and more. 

95 and 6 to G: In this award-winning documentary, filmmaker Kimi Takesue finds an unlikely collaborator while visiting her resilient Japanese-American grandfather in Hawai’i. A recent widower in his 90s, Grandpa Tom immerses himself in his daily routines until he shows unexpected interest in his granddaughter’s stalled romantic screenplay and offers advice both shrewd and surprising. Tom’s creative script revisions serve as a vehicle for his memories of love, loss, and perseverance to surface. 

Writing with Fire : In a news landscape dominated by men emerges India's only newspaper run by Dalit women. Armed with smartphones, Chief Reporter Meera and her team break traditions on the frontlines of India's biggest issues, redefining the meaning of power.

Remember to Ask a Librarian for Additional Resources!  

If you wish to collaborate with the POP Committee on an upcoming library display for a heritage month or theme. Please fill out the form. 

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CAMPUS PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Uzma Jalaluddin

Join us this Thursday, May 2, 2024 for an evening with internationally bestselling author, Uzma Jalaluddin! Uzma is a second-generation, Canadian, Indian, Muslim who has published four novels to date, one of which is currently being adapted for Canadian television, and another for film with Amazon Studios and Mindy Kaling! Uzma is also a former contributor to the The Toronto Star as well as The Atlantic and her play for the Silk Road Institute debuted in March 2023. 

Courtesy of the Inclusive Excellence Division grant and with sponsorship from Residence Life and Mosaic, Uzma will lead participants through a writing workshop from 4-5pm in the St. Clare Room and a multifaith dinner and dialogue in the CA Mission Room from 6-7:30pm centered around the theme of Affirming Humanity Through Storytelling: the Role of Empathy in the Creative Process.  Please be sure to register for one or both (free) events! All are welcome! 

 

Ballet Folklorico’s Mi Primer Viaje a Mexico

Ballet's Folklorico's first ever Cultural Show takes place on Sunday, May 5, 2024 at 5pm in the Locatelli Student Center.