New director plans diverse programs

Katrina McClain has been named as Georgia College & State University’s new Director of Multicultural Affairs.

McClain began work at GC&SU on Aug. 9 of this year, and since then has been working to “.provide a friendly and open environment for the campus and community,” she said. While working as the director of Multicultural Affairs, McClain will be developing and overseeing programs to enhance awareness and appreciation of cultural and racial diversity and promoting a campus climate that celebrates difference.

McClain said she will also “. assist with coordinating workshops and seminars to help build coalitions between diverse student associations, GC&SU community at large (and) develop and maintain collaborative relationships with students, faculty, staff, community groups and professional organizations regarding ongoing assessment of the campus climate and topics of diversity.”

Before coming to GC&SU, McClain worked as the director of Student Activities and Recruitment at the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in Asheville, N.C. She has also worked as Assistant Coordinator of Student Development/African American Student Development at the University of North Carolina (UNCA), also located in Asheville. McClain spent three and a half years working as a facilitator for the Student Leadership Institute located in North Carolina as well.
While she was there, McClain worked on a program in which 40 students from 50 area community colleges spent a week at “Peace Week” learning leaderships skills. McClain also helped with the Minority Male Mentor Program, based out of the Community College Systems office, the UNCA’s Black Alumni Chapter (BAC), and she volunteered in a Nashville seniors’ home for the last six years.

While at GC&SU, McClain has been advising the Black Student Alliance (BSA) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Work has also been done on a program that exposes children to college in an attempt to give them a “taste of college at a younger age,” McClain said. She also works with ‘at risk’ youth in the community.

The Multicultural Office staff has been trying to increase campus awareness for the work the office does, and they assist in recruiting students to join campus organizations. They have also been responsible for the campus appearances of kalimbia player Carl Winters in September, guitar player Edgar Cruz, and the future appearances of Diane Dixon in November.

Dr. Bruce Harshbarger said McCain brings with her a great expertise in designing and implementing programs with college students.

“We’re delighted to have Katrina join the GC&SU community.Mrs. McClain’s background at one of our fellow public liberal arts campuses, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, provides an outstanding philosophical fit with GC&SU’s liberal arts values,” he said.

“My goal is to change minds into a mindset of acknowledgement of
differences and a respect of the fact that it is okay to be different,” McClain said.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 30 2002. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry