This semester welcomed more than just new students to the Harding campus; it also brought a new position to the Office of Church Relations. Beginning in August, former admissions counselor Alex Jamerison became Harding\u2019s director of diversity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis new position is a move on our part to do a better job of connecting and networking with racially diverse groups of Christians with the goal of making Harding a more inclusive community,\u201d President Bruce McLarty said.<\/p>\n
As director of diversity, Jamerison will be working with various minority churches around the U.S.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe position is all about building new and maintaining current relationships, which is something I am very passionate toward,\u201d Jamerison said. \u201cIn this position I will interact with both churches, students, faculty, staff and various organizations represented at Harding.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Dr. Timothy Westbrook, a sponsor of the Black Students Association and a member of the Diversity Committee, the need for this position came from a longstanding divide between races in churches of Christ.<\/p>\n
\u201cGenerally speaking, we are white on Sundays, or black on Sundays, Latino on Sundays or Korean on Sundays,\u201d Westbrook said. \u201cWe haven\u2019t integrated very well. One of the initiatives we hope to have at Harding is to overcome that historical divide at least on this campus.\u201d<\/p>\n
The position was added to the Office of Church Relations in the hopes of reaching out to minority churches and increasing diversity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Office of Church Relations exists to strengthen and develop relationships with Harding to our constituent churches,\u201d Dr. Dan Williams, vice president of Church Relations and co-chair of the diversity committee said. \u201c(Alex) will be working on a wide variety of things with the Office of Church Relations, but his specific focus is on minority churches. (His job) includes making potential students of those communities aware of Harding University and what it has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hope is not only to increase diversity among churches, but inside Harding as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough the inclusive community, students will be able to further their level of awareness, sensitivity and ability to live in unity with people from backgrounds outside of their own,\u201d Jamerison said. \u201cThe primary goal of this position is simply to reach out in hopes to draw in.\u201d<\/p>\n
This desire to \u201creach out and draw in\u201d is founded in Harding\u2019s Christian principles, according to Westbrook.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recognize that the kingdom of God is not divided up according to race,\u201d Westbrook said. \u201cAnything we can do to help our school and our churches reflect that multi-ethnic kingdom we belong to, we\u2019re trying to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jamerison will be a keynote speaker for the 2017 Harding lectureship. He will be speaking Thursday, Sept. 27, at 9 a.m. on the topic \u201cmore than conquerors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Written by features editor\u00a0Raianne Mason and student writer Macy McClung<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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