Students walk to class in front of Withers and Daniels Hall. PHOTO BY ROGER WINSTEAD

This week, the Digest interviewed Shane Taylor, a grad student currently interning in the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity’s Diversity and Inclusion unit, working on the area of faculty diversity with assistant vice provost Marcia Gumpertz.

What are your year and field of study at NC State?

I am a second-year Master’s student in the Higher Education and Administration program in the college of education.

Where are you from?

I am from Raleigh, NC.

Where did you earn your undergraduate degree and what was your major?

I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and my major was Finance.

How did you learn about your position?

I heard about the internship through an email server and I thought it would be a good idea to apply so I could gain a new experience while completing my degree here at NC State.

What have been some of your activities and projects to date?

As of right now, I assist Dr. Gumpertz with the Building Future Faculty database, in addition to some data analysis for faculty, and help inform some of our faculty Google groups of upcoming opportunities for professional development.

Why do you feel diversity programs and initiatives are important at NC State?

Diversity programs are important here at NC State because they allow students, faculty and staff to encounter new experiences that might be outside their comfort zone. When individuals are placed in situations or begin to have dialogue about diversity issues, it allows both parties to grow their knowledge of a particular issue and better advocate for any particular community.

Says Dr. Marcia Gumpertz, “Shane has a great mix of writing skills and interest in learning about all facets of promoting faculty diversity. He’s terrific.”