Management students reflect on Equal Opportunity Institute

May 5, 2008 - Jill Pisano, a sophomore in business management in North Carolina State University's College of Management, was among the 21 NC State students, faculty and staff recognized on May 1 for completing the university's award-winning Equal Opportunity Institute (EOI).

Two other members of the college community also were part of the ceremony. Sarah Johnston, a graduating senior in business management, presented a reflection as a past student of the program. She received her certificate in 2007. David Washington, assistant dean for undergraduate programs at the NC State College of Management, presented the keynote address.

Pisano joined the program as a new student at NC State. “I attended an information session on the EOI during my transfer orientation and it seemed like something that could be very beneficial to me both personally, professionally and academically.

"I wanted to become involved in many things at NC State and I felt that EOI could equip me to actually make a positive influence on our campus,” she said.  “Also, I was thinking about concentrating in human resource management and thought this would be a great thing to do to gain exposure to human resource issues.”

Participants in the program included a mix of individuals, the majority of whom were NC State employees, as well as a few students and members of the area community, with a diversity of ages and backgrounds.

The EOI curriculum includes 10 three-hour classes - three mandatory classes and seven electives on topics ranging from generational diversity to religion and creed. The program can be completed in one year. There is no charge for NC State students, faculty or staff members to participate.

“Some of the classes, such as ‘Bridges’ and ‘Lenses,’ tap into the way you view the world and others and (provide) learning tools to keep a check on any prejudices you may have," Pisano said. "In all the classes, discussion is encouraged and you get to hear the viewpoints from all people in the room. All the classes I attended incorporated group work so there was always an exchange of ideas,” she said. The diversity of the program’s participants contributed to the discussion.

“There are so many things I have taken away from my experience in EOI,” Pisano said. “An important one is that no one is insignificant. EOI has taught me that every person has a voice and deserves the chance to be heard. We all belong to many protected classes and are all subject to discrimination.

"No person is too insignificant - not even a sophomore transfer student like me - to make a powerful impact in the fight for equality amongst all people. Like I said, everyone has a voice. EOI equipped me with knowledge, understanding, and exposure for me to feel comfortable and empowered enough to use my voice.”

In his remarks, Washington also stressed the role of the individual in making a difference, saying that “it does not matter your vocation or profession; you can make change from where you are, right now.” In addition, he challenged the participants to not expect that problems will resolve with time.

“Time is a neutral commodity, neither negative nor positive, but it is what we do with time that gives it form,” he said. In conclusion, he said, “We must remember that we are interrelated. Much too often we focus on the lines that divided and not the ties that bind. We must never forget that we all share membership in one-family, the family of humanity.”

In her remarks, Johnson reflected on how the program helped to change her perspective. “When you start, each EOI participant is asked to define a personal goal. My EOI goal, drafted in the fall of 2006, was to define diversity and enable others to understand its meaning,” she said.

Over the next two years, Johnston said she came to realize that the things that she felt made her “different and less accepted among my peers’”– she is about five years older than traditional undergraduate students and a non-native North Carolinian - had the opposite effect.

“I found immense support from my co-students in classes and on projects. Although some may view a five-year age difference as inconsequential, it was important to me.  I frequently asked myself, ‘How can I relate to 20 year olds, at 27? Can I still be included in all the student activities when I feel so different?’ But EOI taught me not to focus on the differences because there are just as many similarities.”

In the process, Johnston said she has learned the concept of ‘creative friction.’ 
“At the business college, I often found myself swimming against the flow, but it hasn't limited my success. Sometimes I think my ‘different’ way of thinking has enhanced classroom discussions and I attribute my differences to my overall success and know it has opened opportunities, like speaking to you today.”

Johnston, who graduates May 10 with a concentration in human resources, has received awards from national and regional professional human resource associations. She also has served as president of the college’s Society for Human Resource Management student chapter.

She said she now defines diversity abstractly. “Each person is a product of their environment, life experiences, their own personal influences, role models, coaches, preferences, travels, encounters, culture, religion, national origin, language, and ultimately a product of their own generation and upbringing,” she said.

Related links:

Equal Opportunity Institute: http://www.ncsu.edu/eoi/index.html
Sarah Johnston student profile