IW invites professionals to panel for Black History Month

When Stephanie Stubbs was a student at Iowa Wesleyan University, she noticed a lack of diverse voices from successful professionals. Now as an assistant professor at the university, she's giving current students a chance to hear those voices.

Monday, Feb. 4, IW will hold its first Black History Month Panel Discussion from 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the school's social hall.

The event is organized by associate Stubbs and university provost Dewayne Frazier.

As far back as October of last year, she began reaching out to associates she thought would be good for their panel. The responses she got back were 'quick and excited,' with the final group being determined by scheduling and availability.

'There wasn't anything like this when I was in school,' Stubbs said. 'We tried to educate ourselves about successful members of the black community, but there wasn't a live breathing person in front of us.'

According to Frazier, IW is one of the few Minority Serving Institutions in the state of Iowa based on its minority enrollment of roughly 50 percent non-white students. The staff, however, is largely white, meaning many students aren't necessarily seeing themselves directly represented in their educators.

The panel is made up of six people including Vice President of Academic Affairs at Southeastern Community College Carole Richardson, founder of Tailored Life Transitions LaSharon Taylor and Burlington Police Officer Jesse Hill.

Stubbs' hope is for students to be able to see the variety of ways it's possible for graduates to be successful post-college.

'I'd like the students to get to know our panelists,' Stubbs said. 'Maybe they'll be someone they can reach out to in the future for support or advice.'

The event will be structured with the first half being moderated questions and the second half being more open. Topics will focus on how panelists were influenced in their career trajectory by their backgrounds and their experiences as successful black Americans.

Stubbs hopes that this event opens the door for more like it.

'I'd like to see other panels of diverse professionals,' Stubbs said. 'Not just African-American, but a Hispanic panel, an Asian-American panel, to celebrate what can be done and to lift diversity up in local communities.'