UC Clermont College Department Receives Marian Spencer Diversity Ambassador Award

UC Clermont’s Business, Law and Technology Department was recognized with the 2015 University of Cincinnati’s Marian Spencer Diversity Ambassador Award during the university’s Annual Diversity Conference on Main Campus.

The department was honored for its various activities promoting diversity and inclusion, representing a concerted effort spearheaded in 2011 by Jeff Bauer, professor of management/marketing and department chair. Since then, the department has made a concerted effort to exhibit sensitivity to people of various cultures, with faculty members involved with the African Professionals Network, BDPA Cincinnati and the UC Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Strategy Group, among others.

“The award is a recognition of the hard work that the entire department put in to improving our diversity profile, but it is much more satisfying to look around the room during a department meeting and to see all of the excellent faculty interacting and sharing ideas,” said Bauer, who was also recently appointed dean of UC Clermont, effective May 15. “The award also encourages and reminds us to raise the bar further on the next set of goals to achieve.”

There has also been a strong focus on helping colleagues grow in their understanding of diversity and inclusion and preparing others to thrive in a diverse, global workforce, with the department presenting the Diversity Leadership Training Conference in November. The department has also led numerous study abroad trips to Mexico, offers the Diversity in the Professional Setting class and created the Talented African American Program to identify minority high school students and introduce them to the college experience through online modules and campus activities. In the meantime, the department has embraced the university’s diversity initiatives, increasing African American representation among both full-time and adjunct faculty members.

“For students from diverse backgrounds, seeing someone like themselves at the front of the class as a professor is a powerful message,” Bauer said. “For students from majority groups, it gives them the chance to interact with a more diverse group of opinion leaders than they would typically have access to in Clermont County. This helps the college and department truly live our mission of cultural and social development of our students and the community.”

To learn more about the Business, Law and Technology Department, visit www.ucclermont.edu/academics/business_division. For more information on UC’s diversity initiatives, visit www.uc.edu/diversity.