Interviews with Student Diversity Fellows: Goals for the Government Department
In fall 2020, the Government Department adopted a Diversity and Inclusion plan that would establish a connection between faculty and students on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. A pilot program was created in fall 2020, inviting government majors and prospective majors to apply to be Diversity Fellows who would work with faculty to consider strategies for honoring diversity in the Department. The original program of five students expanded to seven. This year’s (2022-2023) students spoke to us regarding their experiences as Fellows.
Ava Roberts ‘24
Ava is a junior majoring in Public Policy. Outside of being a Diversity Fellow, Ava furthers her impact on campus by serving as Vice President for the Nu Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and as a president's aide for the 2022-2023 academic year. Originally from Portsmouth, Virginia, she has conducted research for two consecutive years regarding racial disparities in health and education.
1. What made you decide to apply to be a Diversity Fellow?My experience on campus was one that was difficult. I felt that I did not receive the same opportunities or representation as others on campus. During this time, I attended many of WMSURE's workshops, an organization on campus that focuses on supplying research opportunities to underrepresented students, and they not only helped me recognize what I was experiencing, but manners to adapt and find a solution. Through them I embarked on the journey of researching and fell in love. The advocacy of WMSURE is one that I will always be thankful for, and their help was inspiring. It encouraged me to apply as a Diversity Fellow for the Government Department because I realized that I could contribute to the betterment of students who look like me and are experiencing similar feelings to mine when I first arrived on campus, specifically in a field that I am heavily interested in. The Government Department can be intimidating to students who are already experiencing difficulties, and my hope is that through this fellowship, we can tackle this intimidation.
2. What do you personally contribute to the Diversity Committee?
Personally, I feel that I contribute an outside point of view concerning identifying issues and curating solutions within the Government Department. As a public policy major, I am well-versed in a few other departments as my major requires the intersection of these departments. I can recognize tactics that these other departments have in place that encourage diversity and a safer space for students that the government department could replicate or study.
3. What are your long-term goals for the Diversity Committee as a whole? What impact do you want this committee to have on the Government Department?
My major goal is ensuring the vision and mission of the Diversity Fellows is fulfilled through the maintaining of practices that are already in place and new proposals aligned with furthering inclusion and equity. Before the advertisement to apply as a fellow, I was unaware of the student Diversity Fellows' and their contributions to the changes within the department. It would be amazing if the work of the fellows, past, present, and future, is broadcasted more to garner support from students and faculty and to fully honor those who have worked to create a better environment for underrepresented scholars.
Riya Chhabra ‘23
Riya is a senior studying Government and Psychology. On campus, she is the Vice Chair of Conduct and Honor Advisor Program (CHAP) and an active member of her social sorority. She also is currently interning at Evergreen Strategy Group.
1. What made you apply to be a Diversity Fellow?I applied to be a Diversity Fellow because, as a senior Government major, I feel like I’ve gotten a sampling of the classes and professors that the Government Department offers. I also was a student assistant to the Government Department last year, which helped me make connections with government faculty and facilitate conversations with the previous Diversity Fellows. I’ve had discussions with my classmates about the importance of conversations about race, gender, and age in our government curriculum, and I want to be able to turn those conversations into real change
2. What do you personally contribute to the Diversity Committee?
I contribute a diverse perspective and new ideas to the Diversity Committee.
3. What are your long-term goals for the Diversity Committee as a whole? What impact do you want this committee to have on the Government Department?
One of my major goals for the Diversity Fellows is to have a voice in the hiring of new faculty. Professor Nemacheck recognized our interest in this and is helping us coordinate with the faculty hiring committee and participate in implicit bias training to contribute to the hiring process. My goal for this is to hire diverse faculty who can add a new perspective to government curricula. This includes a variety of readings in syllabi and the facilitation of more discussions in class. We also discussed collaborating with current faculty to give student feedback on diversity and inclusion in their classes.
Dylan Abrokwa-Jassor ‘24
Dylan is a junior majoring in Government and Business Analytics on a Data Science track. Dylan was born in Ghana, and lives in Alexandria VA. Outside of being a Student Diversity Fellow, he is a President’s Aide, Vice President of the African American Male Coalition, and a member of the African Cultural Society, and Club tennis. Academically, he is interested in economic justice and immigrant rights and their intersection with law, data analytics, and policy. Dylan also is a big fan of classical music and Manchester City F.C
1. What made you decide to apply to be a Diversity Fellow?
I applied to be a Diversity Fellow because I couldn’t help but notice the extreme lack of diversity in the Government faculty and student body. I understand that a variety of perspectives on political and governmental perspectives both domestically and abroad is crucial for a more thought-provoking teaching and learning environment. In spaces that lack diversity, it can be difficult to have conversations about issues like race, sexuality, gender, and class, and even harder for students with minority status to speak freely about their social positionality. I wanted to be a part of a program that could help solve this problem and implement strategies to make the Government Department more inclusive and inviting for both minority faculty and students
2. What do you think you personally contribute to the Diversity Committee?
As a Government and Business Analytics double major, I have insight into the workings of other departments, and I can mirror efficient strategies from other departments to be able to bring some new ideas to help solve issues in the Government Department. Additionally, I am apart of several on-campus groups and hold multiple positions including being a student advisor to the provost, a president’s aide, and a student employee at the Center for Student Diversity. These positions allow me to gather information and opinions more effectively from students and faculty about how the government department can improve.
3. What are your long-term goals for the Diversity Committee as a whole? What impact do you want this committee to have on the Government Department?
Long-term, I’d like to use my position as a Diversity Fellow to help aid in the process of securing diverse tenured faculty. I believe that diversity is one of main issues and by working to diversify government faculty, we can create a space that is inclusive and enticing to minority students to not only major in Government but be able to learn from and grapple with ideas and life experiences that are different from their own. Ultimately, diversifying faculty would lead to the betterment of the department.
Emma Evans ‘23
Emma is a senior double majoring in Government and Gender, Sexuality, & Women's Studies (GSWS). She is originally from Staunton, VA and is very interested in gender and reproductive politics. Emma spends most of her time outside of classes working with the Equestrian Club and competing on the school's Equestrian Team. She also works on campus as an RA and serves as an undergraduate curriculum advisor for the GSWS program
1. What made you apply to be a Diversity Fellow?
I applied to be a Diversity Fellow because I want students from different backgrounds to have better experiences in the Government Department. A lot could be done to make our course offerings, syllabi, and classrooms more inclusive and reflective of diverse perspectives, and I’m very eager to be a part of that work. I’ve had to look outside of the department for classes that speak to my interest in social justice, so I’d like to push for more course content that appeals to a wider variety of interests within the realm of political science.
2. What do you personally contribute to the Diversity Committee?
As a senior GSWS major, I’ve engaged with a lot of scholarship concerning identity and belonging. I’ve also often hesitated to speak up in Government classes because I haven’t personally felt a sense of belonging. I think that these experiences equip me well to advocate for students that have felt similarly isolated to make the Government department culture more conducive to open dialogues.
3. What are your long-term goals for the Diversity Committee as a whole? What impact do you want this committee to have on the Government Department?
One of the biggest goals I have is to develop community within the department. I feel that we lack a sense of community that is present in other departments, which prevents students from participating and engaging with each other in more meaningful ways. I would like to work to develop stronger connections between students and professors to enable mutual respect and understanding, and to ensure that all students feel like valued members of the department.
Julian Allison ‘23
Julian is a senior, originally from Westchester, New York. Outside of the Diversity Fellows, he is involved in Phi Sigma Pi, currently as the Chapter Historian, and the Committee for Contextualization of Campus Landmarks and Iconography, which is a committee under the Plan that is researching the namesakes of the statues and buildings on campus, with a focus on slavery. Julian is a Government and History major, mainly focusing on American history and the history of slavery and racism.
1. What made you apply to be a Diversity Fellow?
I applied to be a Diversity Fellow after hearing Professor McKinney talk about the program. Knowing the experience I’ve had in the Government Department, where many classes have either not felt the most welcoming to diverse ideas, or not covered topics related to diversity in a meaningful way, I wanted to work to be able to change that for future government students. Specifically, I think a lot of government syllabi are lacking in diverse authors and areas of thought, or when they cover them, diversity is treated as a burden or throwaway rather than an integral part of many people’s identities.
2. What do you personally contribute to the Diversity Committee?
I’ve been a government major at William & Mary for four years now and have been in government classes since my first semester, so I have seen a wide breadth of classes and styles of teaching within the department. Further, being a gay man, as well as Jewish, I have seen and felt how certain discussions about diverse topics are not always handled well or given enough attention. I’ve been involved in the William & Mary community in many different roles, and those experiences all allow me to assist the Government Department and the other fellows in the work we want to get accomplished.
3. What are your long-term goals for the Diversity Committee as a whole? What impact do you want this committee to have on the Government Department?
I want the Diversity Fellows to continue to be an established entity within the Government Department, both to hold the professors accountable and to give students a voice on matters pertaining to DEI. The fellows should be people that both professors and students are able to have honest conversations with and feel that they are heard, and we are all working to make the department better for everyone. I think that starts with looking at how professors have been teaching about diverse topics such as race, and how that interacts with whatever the overall subject of the class. Oftentimes, professors can be resistant to include topics they aren’t experts on, or they are worried about saying something potentially offensive, but in that worry, they fail to include necessary information and readings to expand outside of the traditional narrative.
Christian Manigo ‘23
Christian Manigo is a senior from Virginia Beach, VA, majoring in Government and minoring in Educational Studies with a concentration in Policy and Equity. On campus, Christian has served in Student Assembly as the Undersecretary for Socioeconomic Affairs, as a Student Fellow for the William & Mary Scholars Undergraduate Research Experience (WMSURE) program, and as a research assistant in the School of Education. Presently, Christian serves on the Undergraduate Honor Council, as the RA for the Africana House living/learning community, and as President of the Kappa Pi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. In his free time, Christian enjoys spending time with close friends, taking road trips, or binge-watching TV shows. Post-graduation, Christian plans to attend law school.
1. What made you apply to be a Diversity Fellow?
At the time that applications were opened for fellowship positions, I was heavily reflecting upon my experiences as an underrepresented student at the College. In that period of reflection, I would often think about how one of my previous professors who taught a government course that focused on the experiences of black people in the United States would often acknowledge his limited ability to effectively explain concepts and ideas due to his identity as a white man. In thinking about this, I thought that drastic institutional changes needed to occur so that black and minority scholars would have the ability to provide additional context in courses that focus on racial issues as they relate to the political domain. Because I also minor in educational policy and equity, I wanted to be able to provide additional perspectives about why diverse faculty representation is essential to the success of an institution like William & Mary, as a whole.
2. What do you personally contribute to the Diversity Committee?
As a senior government major, I can draw from my experiences in the various government courses I have taken and share how those experiences informed my knowledge of certain departmental inequities. As an African American student, I can also demonstrate how those departmental inequities directly impact me.
3. What are your long-term goals for the Diversity Committee as a whole? What impact do you want this committee to have on the Government Department?
My primary long-term goal for the Diversity Committee is to guide the Department toward sustainable practices in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty groups. It is my belief that diverse faculty representation within the Department is essential to the success of diverse student groups. Additionally, the effective teaching of diverse issues, ideas, and concepts as they relate to government and the political sciences are dependent upon the presence and valuing of diverse and underrepresented faculty.
Francesca Johnson ‘23
Francesca is a senior studying Government and Japanese Studies. Outside of the Diversity Fellows, she is involved with the Black Student Organization, Costuming Club, and W&M Scholars Undergraduate Research Experience (WMSURE). As a new member of the fellowship, she looks forward to using BIPOC experiences to improve the diversity and inclusion on campus.
1. What made you decide to apply to be a Diversity Fellow?
As a senior at William & Mary, I am proud to say that I have spent each year thoroughly within the Government Department. Taking classes in broad subjects, conducting political research, and working with various professors, I have developed a deep connection with the Department. However, as a black student, I have often found myself being the only student of color in my classes. Moreover, throughout my four years at William & Mary, I have noted that none of my classes in the Government Department were taught by professors of color. Luckily, I was someone who discovered early on that I wanted to study politics, so I persevered to complete my major. However, I know from personal experience that being a lone minority is both intimidating and discouraging. I know just how stressful and painful being othered by your peers can be. Therefore, these circumstances led me to seek out avenues to make a difference, one of which happened to be joining the Diversity Fellows. I chose to join the Diversity Fellows because, through my service, I want to help make the Government Department more welcoming for all people
2. What do you think you personally contributed to the Diversity Committee?
As a member of the Diversity Committee, I contribute the perspective of being a black woman in a predominantly white-dominated major. Thus, through our meetings, I hope to provide feedback for professors concerning how to improve the climate of their classrooms and positively influence the hiring process towards diversity.
3. What are your long-term goals for the Diversity Committee as a whole? What impact do you want this committee to have on the Government Department?
Overall, my goal is to help the Government Department better practice what we preach. As we focus on unique and distinctive perspectives from around the globe in course discussions, I believe it's equally important to uplift the unique voices of the diverse students and staff. To me, the Diversity Committee is simply a way for us to open a dialogue about our conventional perspectives. As such, I hope that we can help expand the conversations and diversify the faces present in our classrooms.
Sarita O’Neil ‘24
Sarita O’Neil is a junior majoring in Government from McLean, Virginia. She has a strong interest in social justice, gender politics, and political theory. In addition to being a Diversity Fellow, Sarita is the captain of the Club Lacrosse team, participates in the Innovation for Defense program, and is a member of the student voting organization, Our Williamsburg.
1. What made you decide to apply to be a Diversity Fellow?
My academic advisor in the Government Department directed me to apply after I expressed interest in the intersection between educational structures and diversity. I always have had a strong drive towards social justice in terms of what I study and the values I possess in my personal life. In taking some of the core major requirements for government, I found some of the material to be antiquated, and was disappointed with the lack of a diverse perspective. This fellowship was a great opportunity to directly connect myself with the faculty in the Department and make an impact as a student seeking equitable access to resources and education.
2. What do you think you personally contribute to the Diversity Committee?
While I am a government major, I do strive to take other forms of social sciences classes outside of government. I think my biggest contribution to the Diversity Committee is my intersectional perspective on education. I strongly believe that as a department we should be teaching government through a sociological psychological, and cultural lens. I want to diversify syllabi through this scope and continue to innovate the way we present political science as a field.
3. What are your long-term goals for the Diversity Committee as a whole? What impact do you want this committee to have on the Government Department?
My primary long-term goal for the Diversity Committee and the Government Department is to get all the faculty holistically committed to diversity. While it is more challenging to sway those who have been teaching in their field for decades, a huge goal of this committee is to involve ALL professors in their reflection and incorporation of diversity in their courses.
