Diversity and Community Engagement
The University of Mississippi

Posts Tagged ‘Civil Rights’

Meet Tyra Lockett – OCE Area Coordinator for DEI & Civil Rights

Posted on: February 26th, 2021 by crpauley

“Hello, my name is Tyra Lockett. I am currently a sophomore Biology major with a minor in Chemistry from Brooksville, MS. Upon graduation, I plan to go to medical school to pursue a career in pediatrics. Nothing fills my heart more than knowing I can give back to my community through volunteering and assisting in any way I can during my free time. Oxford is now my home away from home and I treat it as such.

School, volunteering, and staying an active member in organizations occupy most of my time. When I am not swamped with work and other important duties, I binge watch Criminal Minds to crush on Spencer Reid. I am a LuckyDay Scholar, CONNECT mentor for the Center for Inclusion & Cross Cultural Engagement (CICCE), member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, and an active member of the Increasing Minority Access to Graduate Education (IMAGE). During my time at the University of Mississippi, I have grown to appreciate my decision to pursue my undergraduate years here.

My favorite aspect of the LOU community is the support and close-knit aspect that it exhibits. Whenever there’s an event, no matter the time or place, the community finds a way to come together to make sure everything’s a success. Having a support system like the LOU community is a blessing. Growing up in a poverty stricken area, I am so grateful to witness and experience the innovation and initiative of the LOU community that drives me even more to make a difference, essentially at a young age. Being a college town also helps boost these initiatives since the young minds all over our campus are capable of greatness.

This year I will be working as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) & Civil Rights Issue Area Coordinator for the Office of Diversity and Community Engagement. I cannot wait to begin working alongside well versed individuals to alleviate problems in the community that often get overlooked and to support local organizations. Hopefully, I will be able to gain skills and knowledge to exceed my capabilities and also motivate others to overcome challenges during this process.”

If you are interested in working with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) & Civil Rights organizations, please email engaged@olemiss.edu to get in touch with Tyra.

Community Chat – Joshua Mannery

Posted on: June 19th, 2020 by elpayseu

“It’s important now, more than ever, that we’re united, accessible and that we have our fingers on the pulse of campus.” Joshua Mannery

We are joined by Joshua Mannery, Associate Student Body (ASB) President, for this episode as he discusses what it means to govern a student body and how he uses his platform and voice to affect change on campus and in the Oxford-Lafayette County community. Tune in to learn about ASB initiatives such as the Stronger Together Dialogue Series in which student and community leaders discuss ways to make the University of Mississippi campus a more welcoming and inclusive place for all.

Josh was born and raised in Jackson, MS and takes pride in being a “public school product.” It was in this environment that he began to see the disconnect between affluent and underserved communities. He knew that he wanted to bring more people to the table to figure out how to close that disconnect. Upon admission to the University of Mississippi, he had one big goal for his undergraduate career: to become ASB president. As he worked toward this goal, Josh came to notice the lack of accessibility the student body had to their governing body. “Student government is strongest when it goes out to different demographics on campus and listens to their unique experiences,” Josh says on the role of ASB. Josh discusses the importance of making sure everyone’s voices are heard in the process of bettering campus life.

Because of such uncertainty on future plans for the university, Josh says that ASB has had to be much more reactive lately as opposed to proactive. But he and his cabinet are taking it in stride. “There are going to be a lot of challenges that we haven’t faced before,” Josh says. “As ASB President, I want to be there to address as many concerns as I can.”

You can visit the ASB website at olemissasb.org to learn more about how ASB is working to improve campus life for all students.

Follow Ole Miss ASB on Facebook, Instagram (@olemissasb), and Twitter (@olemissasb) to keep up with new initiatives.

Watch Joshua’s Community Chat (YouTube)

Listen to Joshua’s Community Chat (Anchor)