When Olivia Lewis moved to Penn State from San Diego, she was surprised by the lack of diversity in the area. Rather than sitting back, she took an active role in the university’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity (CORED).
Lewis, a financial assistant in the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), will serve as the group’s chair from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. She joined CORED in 2002 shortly after she began working at Penn State.
“I experienced quite a culture shock when I started working at Penn State,” she said. “I was eager to join the committee and help out however I could.”
Lewis became an affiliate member of the commission and volunteered to be a leader on a team dealing with climate issues management. She served another four-year term before being selected to become chair.
“I definitely had a different set of eyes when I joined CORED,” she said. “It was interesting to see how my perspective changed as I worked with the committee and learned about the different issues going on at Penn State.”
During her term as CORED chair, Lewis plans to continue the discussion about the impact of student debt on first-generation and low-income students. The group hopes to identify ways Penn State can support these students to prevent them from leaving for financial reasons.
“CORED has been talking for several years about the impact tuition and loan debt has on our students. This recent downturn in the economy has given impetus for action,” she said.
She also will work with CORED members to celebrate the group’s 20th anniversary this year. Other goals include increasing student outreach, increasing diversity training for Penn State staff and promoting the promotion and tenure workshop for diverse faculty held each fall.
If you would like to become involved with CORED, e-mail olewis@ist.psu.edu or visit: equity.psu.edu/cored.