Division News & Statements
McZee Named Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Transylvania University
February 15, 2018
https://www.transy.edu/news/mczee-named-associate-vice-president-diversity-and-inclusion
Posted: Thursday, February 15, 2018
LEXINGTON, Ky.—Taran McZee has been named Transylvania University's new associate vice president for diversity and inclusion.
McZee, who will begin this spring, has more than 12 years of higher education experience in diversity and inclusion services, multicultural affairs and international programs—most recently at Grand Valley State University.
“I’m very excited about this great opportunity at Transylvania University, and I'm ready to push Transy to the next phase of diversity and inclusion," he said.
McZee will deepen the university's commitment to the values of its Project One initiative, which cultivates a campus community characterized by compassion, respect, ethical concern and social responsibility.
Transylvania President Seamus Carey said McZee can help the university foster these values through innovative initiatives and building meaningful relationships. "He is passionate about students from all backgrounds, and about working with offices across campus to achieve our diversity and inclusion goals."
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Message from Grand Valley's Vice President for Inclusion and Equity Jesse M. Bernal:
It is with mixed feelings that I write to congratulate Taran McZee on his appointment as Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. As you know, Taran has served as Special Associate for Inclusion and Equity since 2016. Taran has been instrumental to our community engagement efforts – expanding our relationships with the Urban League, NAACP, Hispanic Center of West Michigan, GRCC, West Michigan Presidents’ Compact Committee, among many others. He has also participated in the National Association of Chief Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) inaugural Standards of Practice Institute, for which he is now an advisory committee representative and as the co-chair of the local host committee for the international White Privilege Conference. Taran has been a great colleague, community member, and friend to many of us. Most importantly, his ability to continually center our students in all that we do has been greatly appreciated. We will miss the spirit and energy Taran brings to the division and our communities. I am very proud that he is able to take on this promotional and leadership opportunity as a peer chief diversity officer – continuing to advance inclusion and equity in higher education. Taran will be with us for a bit longer and is working with TU to determine a start date. I will share information on ways I hope we can thank Taran for his work and wish him well in this next opportunity soon. Please join me in congratulating, Taran.