CDI welcomes new director

By Grace Bertrand

As the Center for Diversity and Inclusion faced a change in leadership toward the end of the previous school year, Jasmine Johnson stepped into the position of CDI director about three months ago after a year-long search.

The CDI is part of the university’s efforts to promote an appreciation for different cultures and ways of life through programming, policies and student training. 

In June 2023, the CDI lost its former director, Pamela Pruitt, leaving the position vacant until Johnson’s arrival on June 10. The center also lost its assistant director, Shaun Williams, in January, and he is yet to be replaced.

Johnson meets Rider

Entering the small-town-college atmosphere and community, Johnson was immediately drawn to Rider, her bubbly personality and welcoming spirit finding a place at the CDI.  

“I feel like you get a chance to know people on a personal level and not just a professional level,” Johnson said.

Johnson brought knowledge from her involvement in higher education, coming straight from Seton Hall University as an assistant director for the Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Plus Program as part of the Educational Opportunity Fund. During her time at Seton Hall, Johnson wore a number of hats as co-administrator and co-organizer of the university’s Inclusion Alliance, a peer-to-peer program aimed at creating college diversity lessons. 

Johnson also helped create the Queens Unapologetically Educated, Empowered and Noble (QUEEN) program, a living-learning community for students that identify as being female and of Black descent. 

Having experience with low-income communities and student-inclusion programs, Johnson found the transition to CDI director to be a lot less challenging.

“I think Seton Hall definitely gave me experience in developing lessons for the student body,” Johnson said. “I got the chance to craft some really good workshops and training for students and get that connection with students through collaboration.”

Johnson started her term in June and spent the first two months preparing for her first school year while experiencing the buzz of the students on campus in real-time. 

“There’s noise, there’s people flowing in and out of the center, students in here for homework … Seeing students in the space has been fantastic,” Johnson said.

Johnson is excited for the changes she can bring to the center while promoting inclusion as much as she can. She looks forward to being a representative for black female students, who will see someone that looks like them in a position of power. 

Searching for a new leader

Chief Diversity Officer Heeyoung Kim served as one of the only forms of leadership for the CDI in the five-month period between directors. Kim described this time as low-pressure due to help from a team of student workers, graduate assistants, Student Government Association representatives, faculty and staff members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Group. 

When putting together a search committee for a new director, Kim explained she was adamant about making the search as inclusive and unbiased as possible. She presented the top candidates to campus partners, CDI student workers and the student body to make the final decision.

“Everybody has biases and preferences, but when you have a search committee, you can check imbalances on my personal blindspots,” Kim said. 

The search committee included three faculty members of the university, along with Kim herself. Kim and the rest of the committee planned to select the top three candidates prior to the end of the school years so students could meet them and provide feedback.

In the second-to-last week of classes, the top three candidates met with the student body, faculty members, student workers and the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, DonnaJean Fredeen. They participated in a number of workshops and training to test their approaches and interactions with the students in a more conversational manner.

After receiving feedback from the various groups, the committee was able to make a final decision on Johnson for the extensive position. 

After starting her position as the new CDI Director in early June, Johnson has already brought many changes to the university and its programs for diversity and inclusion.

The All Broncs Build Emerging Leaders, Opportunities, Networks and Growth-Mindsets (BELONG) Alliance, a revamped program sponsored by the CDI that Johnson has helped build, aims to empower incoming students into university life, cultivate a sense of belonging and equip them with the necessary skills and networks for personal and professional success through various programs and training. 

Johnson and Kim described the program as successful, with over 10% of the incoming first-year students showing interest in the program,  which is double the number of applicants the program has received in the past. 

“All the students were happy meeting Mrs. Johnson and working with her. She’s very personable and pleasant to work with,” Kim said.

As the school year continues, Johnson intends for the CDI to continue to host their traditional events such as Unity Day and Celebration of Lights, with small changes added in to coincide with the new leadership they now offer. 

“I think students can look forward to dynamic programming from the center and having an inclusive and collaborative environment for students to have conversations [and celebrate differences],”Johnson said.