Lisa Durant-Jones named interim vice president for Community and Belonging at Nazareth College
Nazareth College has named Lisa Durant-Jones as interim vice president for Community and Belonging for the 2020-21 year, starting August 1, 2020. She is moving into the role after serving as the associate vice president for Academic Affairs and Graduate Initiatives since July 2017.
Nazareth's Community and Belonging Division is dedicated to developing students who respect all forms of diversity, practice inclusivity, and advocate for social justice. This commitment to diversity and inclusion informs the College's curriculum, teaching, learning, scholarship, creative activities, co-curricular activities, residential life, community involvement, and support of these endeavors by the Nazareth Community. The Office for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Education, Center for Spirituality, and Student Access and Achievement programs are all integral departments that make up the Community and Belonging Division.
Incoming president Beth Paul stated, "I am so pleased — and grateful — for Lisa's leadership. I am inspired by Lisa and her passionate commitment to the processes and goals of diversity, equity and inclusion. I look forward to Lisa's partnership in leading Nazareth to the next levels of institutional commitment to education (and organizational growth) committed to seeing, understanding and eradicating racism and other forms of injustice that are repugnantly rampant and entrenched in individuals, institutions, communities, and beyond. I know I have a lot to learn from Lisa and feel fortunate for this opportunity. The time is now."
"I too am so very pleased that Lisa will assume this critical role," said President Daan Braveman." The College must undertake essential work toward creating a community of belonging. And, I cannot imagine a better person than Lisa Durant-Jones to lead the College in this work."
Durant-Jones adds: "We are at a pivotal time when change must happen at a societal level but also within institutions of higher education. Our students are demanding more than the status quo! We must meet the challenge!"
Durant-Jones is the former co-chair of the ad hoc committee on Diversity and Inclusion at Nazareth--which was charged with developing a strategic plan to assist the College in infusing cultural competencies into the climate and culture, and led to Nazareth creating a cabinet-level position and naming its first vice president of Diversity and Inclusion in January 2018.
In 2016, Durant-Jones earned the national Cultural Pluralism Award from the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions (ASAHP). This award is given to recognize an individual who is involved in furthering the principle of cultural pluralism in an academic setting by demonstrating leadership through promoting it.
Durant-Jones has been teaching as a professor of speech pathology at Nazareth College since 1996. She was named as an American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) diversity champion in 2009.
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Julie Long | Chief PR Officer, | (585) 781-8186 | jlong2@naz.edu
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
Nazareth College has named Lisa Durant-Jones as interim vice president for Community and Belonging for the 2020-21 year.