Fall surrounds the Memorial Belltower. PHOTO BY ROGER WINSTEAD

Meron Habtemariam is an intern for the Communications team in the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity, working alongside the staff on projects ranging from graphic design to photography. She was recently interviewed by fellow student and intern O’Licia Parker-Smith.

What is your major and classification? Hometown?

Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing,  Junior, Charlotte, NC.

What has been the most impactful diversity experience you’ve had in your career at NC State?

The Tunnel of Oppression experience has impacted me the most because I learned about different topics that affect people on campus and throughout the world. My knowledge about eating disorders, food insecurities, the GLBT community and sexual assault, to name a few, have greatly expanded.

What has your work with the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity taught you about diversity?

Through working in OIED, I have learned that diversity is more than just race, gender and sexual orientation. It includes socioeconomic structures, religion and more. Learning the different aspects that makeup diversity has opened my eyes to the amount present on our campus.

What is the next step in enhancing diversity and inclusion that you would like to see NC State take on?

I would like to see more collaboration and student interaction with all OIED-related units. I would love to see someone interacting in a center that they do not personally identify with or see students learn more about their friend’s cultures.