These grants, ranging from $250 to $2,500, are intended to support projects that help build community and create a more inclusive campus. The funded projects include musical groups, art exhibits, dialogues, events and more.
Launching the SACNAS Chapter at UMass Amherst
Nadia Fernandez (Graduate Student), Natasha De La Rosa-Rivera (Graduate Student), and Leah Travis-Taylor (Graduate Student)
The creation of a local chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) at UMass Amherst. SACNAS promotes success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and facilitates the pursuit of academic degrees, careers, and positions of leadership from college students to professionals. Further, SACNAS provides a community of like-minded people who are interested in both science and culture, as well as a safe community to connect career background and cultural background. The Launch events this year will establish and increase membership for the campus chapter, build community and provide networking opportunities.
Disability Culture and Community: Past and Present
Rachel Adams (Staff), Denny Bobot (Graduate Student), and Helene Grogan (Graduate Student)
A year-long, disability speaker series to promote disability visibility and create opportunities for community-building. The series’ events include panelist from the UMass community, including current students, staff, faculty, and alumni who will discuss their disability identity and experiences at the university, and explore how disability intersects with other categories of identity such as gender, race, class, sexual orientation, and/or age. This series will offer spaces for critical reflection, and provide counter-narratives to address ableist conceptions by re-situating disability as a valued and celebrated part of diversity.
Faculty and Staff LGBTQIA Mentoring Program
Tyler Bradley (Staff)
The program seeks to build bridges among LGBTQIA+ students and employees, with a large focus on career development, including, but not limited to: networking, resume review, interview skills, SMART goal setting, and navigating identity in hiring and the workplace. The pilot year includes undergraduate students living in the Spectrum Defined Residential Community, with the goal of expanding to more students the following year.
