OEI Newsletter - September 2025

By Jess Dillard-Wright
Associate Dean of Equity & Inclusion
Elaine Marieb College of Nursing

Welcome Back!

Welcome back, EMCON community!

My name is Jess Dillard-Wright, associate dean of equity and inclusion at the Marieb College of Nursing. As you begin setting your intentions for the coming academic year, I invite you to take a moment to reflect on how equity, belonging, inclusion, and community are central to the practice of nursing from the very start. We are glad you are here and look forward to the upcoming semester!

Upcoming Events

September brings the start of our fall semester and several important celebrations. Labor Day (Sept. 2) has honored the achievements of the American labor movement since 1894, including the eight-hour workday and the weekend. Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15) recognizes the many contributions of Hispanic people to American society; its start date marks the independence of several Hispanic countries from colonial rule. Learn more about Hispanic and Latino nurses through the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, founded by trailblazer Ildaura Murillo-Rohde, who was instrumental in pushing for a more inclusive American Nurses Association.

Also this month, the UMass Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) hosts the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Conference (Sept. 17–18) and the Five College Consortium Faculty and Staff of Color Reception (Sept. 29). Visit the OEI events page and the UMass Events Calendar for more offerings.

Connect with EMCON OEI

Please reach out if I can assist support, brainstorm, or connect. jdillardwrig [at] umass [dot] edu (Email me) or feel free to drop by my office in Skinner Hall, rm. 130. You can also share your feedback through this form. And don’t forget— Community + Connection + Conversation meets every Monday from noon to 1 p.m. on Zoom. All are welcome— simply email me for the Zoom link.