As NC celebrates Inclusion Week from April 13-16, members of the College’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Catalyst program are being recognized for advancing initiatives that foster a more inclusive and equitable campus community.
Launched as part of the College’s EDI Blueprint, the EDI Catalyst program brings together employees from across departments to lead projects that promote equity, diversity and inclusion in meaningful and practical ways, supporting one of the four areas and actions identified in the Blueprint.
For EDI Catalyst Alyssa Milana, Communications Coordinator with Corporate Communications, her transition from working at a small organization to the much larger, dynamic environment at NC led her to seek opportunities to become better acquainted with the people and culture of the College.
“The strong sense of community at NC stood out to me from the beginning,” said Milana, who joined the EDI Catalyst program shortly after starting at the College. “I saw the EDI Catalyst program as a way to deepen my understanding of the positive NC culture, connect with colleagues and become more actively involved in the community.”
Her early interest in the EDI Catalyst program was initially driven by the College’s new employee orientation, where she learned about the many supports and services in place at NC to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for both students and employees. This prompted her to seek out ways to get more involved at the College, eventually leading her to become an EDI Catalyst and take on her project, the Days of Significance Calendar.
The Days of Significance Calendar is a centralized, accessible tool designed to support learning, reflection and awareness of meaningful cultural, religious and historical observances throughout the academic year. Accessible through NC’s EDI website, the calendar provides the NC community the opportunity to build awareness, foster inclusion and deepen our understanding of one another.
The initial goal of the project was to help address gaps in services, communications and experiences between domestic and international students, using the tool to foster greater understanding for inclusion and connection across the NC community. It has since evolved into a resource for all members of the NC community, supporting deeper cultural learning and opportunities to apply this knowledge within their roles at the College.
“This is important work because it helps build greater understanding and connection across our diverse college community and allows us to acknowledge and celebrate that diversity,” said Milana. “It also helps support inclusive programming that reflect the many experiences of those who study or work at NC.”
The Days of Significance Calendar has also enabled the EDI team to transition from using an external resource to an in-house tool tailored to the NC community. It has allowed the EDI team to take ownership of their own calendar and ensure it remains relevant, adaptable and reflective of the diverse identities and experiences at NC.
Being involved in the EDI Catalyst program has been meaningful for Milana in numerous ways, from contributing to the NC community to connecting with and learning from colleagues across different areas of the College.
“What’s been most rewarding is contributing to a community where people feel more welcomed, respected and supported in their place of work or study,” said Milana. Even playing just a small part in strengthening the sense of inclusivity and belonging in our community has been a meaningful experience.”
Going forward, Milana hopes to see her work continue to drive awareness and education around days of significance and encourage students and staff to engage with and learn from one another’s experiences.
“I’d love to see the calendar inspire more people – whether students or staff – to take part in on-campus events and initiatives aligned with these days to build an even more connected College community.”
Inclusion Week highlights the importance of belonging, and projects like the Days of Significance Calendar help add to the connective tissue of the NC community and the continued inspiration toward important, impactful change.
