Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Office

Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) is committed to providing leadership, guidance, and resources supporting the institution’s commitment to develop, implement, measure, and transform our culture to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all.

The DEI office will partner with forward-facing departments to support programs to empower students to become advocates for DEI to help build community acceptance for all now and in the future.

As a transformative global institution, the office will provide measurable outcomes of success in programs, activities, training, and education related to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion to inspire community excellence.

VISION STATEMENT

To overcome barriers as the model community that accepts, respects, and encourages the value, dignity, belonging, and capabilities of all individuals.

MISSION STATEMENT

To champion a community of diversity, equity & inclusion, and belonging in a spirit of civility.

VALUES

CARES graphic with listening and talking icons

CIVILITY

We promote civility in the community as well as empathy and acceptance for all.

ADVOCACY

We advocate for fair and equitable practices and policies that promote and nurture understanding and acceptance.

RESPECT

We respect all individuals’ value of dignity as a foundation for promoting caring, equity, and self-esteem in every community member.

EMPOWERMENT

We empower the underrepresented in the community to be heard and accepted.

SAFETY

We strive to create a safe, inclusive community for all without fear of retaliation or retribution.

Meet the Team

Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith

President and CEO

Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith, has dedicated more than 25 years to higher

Marsha N. Lindsay

Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

As PTC’s Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Ms. Lindsay is accountable

Lee Cottrell

Faculty – School of Information Systems & Technology, DEI Taskforce Co-Chair

An instructor in PTC’s School of Information Systems and Technology, Lee is

Michael Russell

Faculty – School of Information Systems & Technology, DEI Taskforce Co-Chair

Ordained minister and pastor, educator, lecturer, community advocate, consultant, and Air Force

Jessica Cooper

Faculty – General Education

Jessica followed her passion for communications and English/English Literature to a career

Cheryl Lumsden

Financial Aid Counselor

Cheryl has worked in Financial Aid for PTC since 2006 helping students

Colleen Maxwell

Education - Scheduler

Colleen has been working with data collection and reporting since 2003, joining

Keith Merlino

Associate VP of Student Services

Keith has proudly worked in higher education since 1979 and was hired

Wilfred Mutale

Program Director – School of Information Systems & Technology

Wilfred Mutale is a Program Coordinator and Faculty at Pittsburgh Technical College,

Crystal Santiful

Admissions – Outreach/Success Advisor

As PTC’s Outreach Success Advisor, Crystal is focused on the underserved communities

Nancy Starr

Executive Director of Human Resources

Nancy has been working in Human Resources since 1982 and serves as

We are Listening

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Office and Task Force are pleased to announce Pittsburgh Technical College’s “WE ARE LISTENING” campaign.

We invite you to participate in one of the following focus groups:

Alumni
Community
Faculty
Staff
Student

The focus groups’ purpose is to identify individuals committed to partnering with the DEI office and Task Force to promote a culture to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all of us at Pittsburgh Technical College.

The focus group will provide an opportunity for you to find out about DEI goals and objectives. The DEI Task Force will work closely with the Strategic Direction Group 6: Promote Culture of Excellence & Accountability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a focus group?

A focus group consists of 15-20 people who provide deep insight into the attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and opinions of the target audience.

Why do we need a focus group?

We need a focus group for specific areas of the community to better understand how we can promote Diversity, Equity & Inclusion programs at PTC to ensure we align programs with what is important to the target population.

How much time will participation on the focus group require?

Time commitment is as follows:

1 -3 months – bi-weekly meetings
4- 12 months – one meeting per month
12 months and after – bi-monthly meetings

Focus groups are expected to remain in session for 12-24 months but duration may vary by group.

Will meetings be virtual or in-person?

Meetings will be virtual at this time.

Can I refer someone for a focus group?

Yes, referrals are welcome.

Join a Focus Group

Name
First Last
Email
Phone
Focus Group
Choose the focus group that you would like to join.

Awareness Calendar

September

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15. This month corresponds with Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16, and recognizes the revolution in 1810 that ended Spanish dictatorship.

September 6: Labor Day in the United States. Labor Day honors the contribution that laborers have made to the country and is observed on the first Monday of September.

September 6-8 (sundown to sundown): Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration, marking the creation of the world.

September 10: Ganesh Chaturthi, a Hindu holiday lasting around 10 days, where the elephant-headed Hindu God is praised and given offerings.

September 11: Beheading of St. John the Baptist, a holy day observed by various Christian churches that follow liturgical traditions. The day commemorates the martyrdom by the beheading of St. John the Baptist on the orders of Herod Antipas through the vengeful request of his stepdaughter, Salome, and her mother.

September 11: Ethiopian New Year. Rastafarians celebrate the New Year on this date and believe that Ethiopia is their spiritual home.

September 15-16 (sundown to sundown): Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, a day of atonement marked by fasting and ceremonial repentance.

September 18: International Equal Pay Day, celebrated for the first time in September 2020, represents the longstanding efforts towards the achievement of equal pay for work of equal value. It further builds on the United Nations’ commitment to human rights and against all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against women and girls.

September 20-27: Sukkot, a seven-day Jewish festival giving thanks for the fall harvest.

September 21 – Autumnal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. The autumn equinox signals a time of change, as summer has waned, and the light of day becomes shorter. In agriculture, the fields are usually empty by the equinox, as the harvest is complete. Secular Humanists today recognize this as a time to slow down and contemplate and have started to mark the occasion with feasts, potlucks, Freethinkers Memorials, and Meaning of Life parties.

September 22: Ostara Mabon, a celebration of the vernal equinox commemorated by Pagans and Wiccans.

September 24: Native American Day, a federal holiday observed annually on the fourth Friday in September in the state of California and Nevada and on the second Monday in October in South Dakota and Oklahoma, United States.

September 27: Elevation of the Life-Giving Cross (Holy Cross), a day that commemorates the cross used in the Crucifixion of Jesus in some Christian denominations.

September 27: Meskel, religious holiday in the Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean Orthodox churches that commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman Empress, Helena, in the fourth century.

September 27-29 (sundown to sundown): Shemini Atzeret, a Jewish holiday also known as The Eighth (Day) of Assembly, takes place the day after the Sukkot festival, where gratitude for the fall harvest is deeply internalized.

September 28: Teacher’s Day in Taiwan. This day is used to honor teachers’ contributions to their students and to society in general. People often express their gratitude to their teachers by paying them a visit or sending them a card. This date was chosen to commemorate the birth of Confucius, the model master educator in ancient China.

September 28-29 (sundown to sundown): Simchat Torah, a Jewish holiday, marks the end of the weekly readings of the Torah. The holy book is read from chapter one of Genesis to Deuteronomy 34 and then back to chapter one again, in acknowledgement of the words of the Torah being a circle, a never-ending cycle.

September 29: Michaelmas, or the Feast of Michael and All Angels, is a minor Christian festival dedicated to Archangel Michael that is observed in some Western liturgical calendars.

Learn more about these and other diversity holidays →