My name is Tevonne Dennis, and I am a junior studying finance. In my role as the Vice President of Diversity Programming, I oversee a board of passionate and enthusiastic individuals who are committed to promoting diversity on campus. Together we program to bring awareness and foster the acceptance and appreciation of all forms of diversity on campus and in the Indianapolis community. We strive to engage students in the development of a truly diverse mindset in which everything that makes up one’s social identity is respected and appreciated.The committees that comprise this board are found below:

Race and Spirituality: provides events that foster further appreciation, education, and understanding around various ethnic, racial, cultural, and spiritual ideas. Collaborates closely with the Butler Center for Faith and Vocation to enhance spiritual discussions and speakers with topic experts. Typically, partnership also happens with the Taste of Diversity events, detailed below. 

Gender and Sexuality: provides events that foster further appreciation, education, and understanding around various topics of gender roles, stereotyping, and all forms of sexual identity. One large event from this committee is the Butler Drag Show, where professional drag show performers host a show to highlight gender perceptions and stereotypes of society. Another large program through this group came with the appearance of Laverne Cox, from Orange is the New Black, on campus to advocate for the trans-gendered community.

 

Special Events: supports the efforts of the four listed pillars of diversity: Race, Spirituality, Gender, and Sexuality. This groups sponsors the Taste of Diversity Series, a monthly program that focuses on a unique country and their culture through the exploration of their cuisine with an educational component.

 

Public Relations and Advertising: The REACH Board has a small group of students who work on crafting press releases and promotional materials for the group. Tasks include managing social media and the creation of promotional materials.

Being from Liberia, there was a wide range of things I searched for in an institution of higher learning and finally I found a home very far away from home in Butler University! I am committed to supporting such an environment that every student can “BU” without limits!