Overview of the Year of Africa at Reinhardt
College 2005-2006
(Revised 12-1-2004)
Year of Africa Steering Committee
Co-Chairs: Dr. Elizabeth Garbrah-Aidoo and
Dr. Pamela Wilson;
members Angela Scheitlin, Dr. Aquiles Martinez, Dr. Curt
Lindquist, Dr. Jonathan Good, Marsha White, Peg O'Connor, Jason
Methvin, Marion Pearson, Jonathan Post, Dr. Ron Akers, Susan
Lester, Dr. Theresa Ast, Dr. Bonnie Garson and Walter May)
Mission Statement and Objectives:
Beginning in the fall of 2003, through its
"Year Of" programs, Reinhardt College embarked on a journey to
promote understanding of the varied cultures, geographies and
faiths of the world. The premise of this endeavor has been that
by building mutual understanding across cultures, we can secure
the foundation for respect, appreciation, and peace for present
and future generations. To this end, each year our College
strives to provide a range of multicultural activities for our
staff, faculty, students, and the larger community celebrating,
in turn, all continents and regions of the world. As often as
possible, these activities will be free of charge, open to the
general public, and held at the Reinhardt campus. An outreach
component will provide activities through community venues as
well as inviting the community to campus. Professors will
provide activities related to the "Year Of" theme in their
classroom curricula, and our faculty and staff will work
together to develop activities and experiences beyond the
classroom as well.
To continue to fulfill this
community-strengthening vision, we propose to celebrate "The
Year of Africa" (YOAF) throughout the 2005-2006 academic year.
This year-long commitment to education about the diverse
cultures and geographies of Africa, as well as the African
diaspora in the Americas, will be implemented through
exhibitions of performing and visual arts, folk expressions,
academic exploration of issues, guest speakers and symposia,
modest publications, special course offerings, international
cuisine served on campus, field trips and travel programs for
Reinhardt students and faculty.
With the above vision and mission in mind
we seek to achieve the following objectives:
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To unite human beings through
cross-cultural experiences that celebrate the artistic
expressions, values and wisdom of each culture.
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To create experiences that will
dissolve stereotypes as the complexity of each culture
reveals itself.
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To promote tolerance and acceptance of
the many cultures in our local and global communities.
-
To recognize that the divine presence
dwells within us all, no matter which faith we adhere to.
-
To affirm a commitment to each other as
individuals and a community.
-
To envision our shared future as
friends and neighbors.
-
To celebrate who we are, together.
Support for Strategic Plan:
The "Year Of" programming supports the
Strategic Plan of the College in a number of ways. It most
evidently supports point #3, "Enhance the interaction and
respect for the diversity of ethnicities, cultures, experiences
and ideas." Yet it also strongly supports points #1 and #2,
"Improve resources and enhance the quality of teaching, learning
and student life," and "Encourage activities of innovation and
creativity throughout the academic community." We have found
that the first two years of international programming (the
Americas and Asia) have created innovation within and beyond the
classroom, enriching the academic curricula, enhancing teaching
and learning, creating opportunities for artistic engagement and
intellectual dialogue across the curricula and also creating
opportunities for spiritual and physical engagement in a
multitude of ways.
Benefits to College Community and Local
Community:
The Year of Africa activities will benefit
the college community in myriad ways in relation to the rich
cultural and geographic diversity of Africa as well as African
America. These benefits include: enhancing curricular and
academic offerings, as well as providing faculty development and
enrichment; providing experiential learning opportunities and
broadening cultural understanding; exposing all of us to the
arts, music, dance and other forms of cultural expressions;
deepening our understanding of economic, business and political
structures and movements affecting our global community; and
forging deep and lasting relationships with members of African
communities, both scholarly and humanitarian. It will also
create outreach opportunities to engage the local community, the
region, and the public school students in educational and
cultural opportunities.
A larger and more indirect, but no less
important, benefit is the attention such a program of events
brings to Reinhardt College both in enhancing our reputation as
a liberal arts college and cultural center for the region and in
attracting both donors and students to the college. |
