Jamie Washington, a nationally known speaker, consultant and trainer on diversity, leadership, spirituality, organizational change and community development issues, will visit the Syracuse University campus on Sept. 3 as part of this year's Greek Convocation. Washington's appearance at SU is sponsored by the Office of Greek Life and Experiential Learning and the Office of the Senior Vice President for Student Affairs in support of the Division of Student Affairs' 2001-2006 Strategic Plan Diversity Initiatives.
Syracuse University's Greek Convocation is an annual gathering of members of the Greek community to celebrate the start of the new academic year and is an opportunity for the members to rededicate themselves to the University's core values (quality, caring, diversity, innovation and service) and the oath that each takes as a member of the Greek community.
Washington will deliver the convocation's keynote address, "A New Day, a New Direction" at 4 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel. Additionally, Associate Dean of Students Joseph Oravecz will outline his vision for the future of the Greek community at SU. The program is open to the public.
Washington will also participate in the following events and activities on campus, most of which are targeted towards specific campus populations:
? A lunch meeting with students at the LGBT Resource Center, located at 754 Ostrom Ave., from 11:30-12:30 p.m. The meeting is open to all students;
? A student affairs staff development program, "Student Leaders, Diversity and Greeks, What Can We Do Together, from 1-2 p.m. in the Schine Student Center Underground;
? "Building Community Across Differences, a 21st-Century Imperative," from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in The Underground. The program is open to all students; and
? "Building a Strong Greek Community," at 7:30 p.m. in Rooms 304 A, B and C of the Schine Student Center. The program is open to all members of the University's Greek community.
"Dr. Washington is a significant presence in the area of diversity and leadership in student affairs nationally," says Tomas Gonzalez, assistant director of the Office of Greek Life and Experiential Learning. "We are very honored to have him here to work with our students and staff. His message of building bridges across differences is very timely as we move to become a more inclusive and accepting community."
Washington is founder and president of the Washington Consulting Group, a Baltimore-based multicultural organizational development firm and is a senior consultant with firms in California and Philadelphia. He has served as an educator and administrator in higher education for over 18 years, and most recently was the assistant vice president for student affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He currently is an assistant professor of women's studies at UMBC and is a founding faculty member of the Social Justice Training Institute, a weeklong trainer development program that draws participants from across the country.
He is the recipient of the 2001 Diamond Honoree Award from the American College Personnel Association for his significant contributions to higher education and student affairs work, and a 2002 Voices of Inclusion Award for his work in the area of social justice education.
Washington received a bachelor's degree from Slippery Rock State College; a master's degree from Indiana University-Bloomington and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park. He is currently a second-year student in the master's of divinity program at Howard University.
