Division News & Statements
Four appointments in Inclusion and Equity announced
June 14, 2016
(This story originally appeared on GVNext)
Jesse Bernal, vice president for Inclusion and Equity, announced four appointments within the division.
An open house reception to welcome the people listed below is planned for July 12, from 3:30-5 p.m. in Zumberge Hall, room 3000. Light refreshments will be provided; RSVP by July 5 by clicking here.
A broader community reception will be held downtown on September 12. Community partners will also be invited at that time. More details will be shared soon.
• Taran McZee will be the special associate for Inclusion and Equity. McZee most recently served as director of inclusion and multicultural services and LGBTQIA resources and support at Northern Arizona University.
McZee will join Grand Valley on July 11. His key functions will be to support expanded work focused on community engagement, supporting division councils and committees, and serving as a liaison and representative on numerous internal and external groups.
A Flint native, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Central Michigan University.
• Gary P. Gawel is the director of affirmative action/EOC, and brings extensive experience with the U.S. government, higher education and private business. Most recently, he served as EO director at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.
Gawel will join the newly formed Equity, Planning, and Compliance unit in the division and oversee the university’s affirmative action program, as well as investigations of possible complaints of violation of the university’s anti-harassment policy.
He earned a bachelor's degree from Buffalo State University and a master's degree from Radford University.
• Jen C. Hsu will be the director of the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center. Hsu served as director of LGBT Student Services at Western Michigan University since 2012. Prior to joining WMU, Hsu was the founding executive director of the OutCenter in Benton Harbor.
Hsu will be a member of the division's leadership team, oversee the daily operations of the center and provide guidance for LGBTQ campus and community initiatives.
She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a master's of public administration degree from WMU.
• Relando Thompkins-Jones will serve as the social justice educator/coordinator. His role will include coordinating experts from across the campus to develop and delivery social justice training and programming to faculty and staff members, and students.
Thompkins-Jones, a social worker, has taught social work courses at Oakland University and the University of Michigan, and served as coordinator of U-M's School of Public Health's Future Public Health Leaders program.
He earned a bachelor's degree from Oakland University, and a master's degree and certificate in educational leadership from U-M.
For More Information Contact: Michele Coffill in University Communications - (616) 331-2221