EmersonTogether

Purpose

As Emersonians, we believe in the power of our cherished community. We believe in safety and well-being. We believe in equity and justice. We believe in free and thoughtful expression. We believe in kindness and mutual respect.

In the wake of the events of Spring 2024, we need to significantly enhance our efforts to affirm these values and come together as a community. Over the course of the ’24-’25 academic year, we will intentionally and strategically engage to strengthen the shared values of our community, build bridges of understanding, and engage in healing. Join us as we cultivate meaningful dialogue, foster genuine care and mutual respect, and build a stronger, more equity-centered Emersonian community.

Organization/Process

EmersonTogether is a living initiative supporting a spectrum of involvement across the silos that can sometimes form in higher education communities. Students, faculty, staff and administrators, and alumni at all of Emerson’s sites are welcome to contribute.

The primary work of organizing the initiative will fall to three operational teams. While the teams will create much of the direction for their areas of focus, the following reflects the initial charge for each: 

Leadership Team

This team will help provide strategic vision for this initiative and evaluate the recommendations from the two other teams, the Content Team and the Capacity-Building Team. This team’s work will ensure the pieces of the initiative combine for an organized whole that is sensitive to the thoughtful use of time and other resources.

The Leadership team also will help to determine how best to support the execution of events.

Content Team

This team will leverage Emerson's strengths in storytelling, communications, and the arts to provide a coordinated series of speakers, programming, dialogues, and events designed to support shared values, including circle groups, performance talkbacks, art installations, and other gatherings that provide the opportunity to be in community together despite divergent perspectives, beliefs, and needs.

The Content Team will plan and propose campus events under the EmersonTogether heading for everyone at Emerson, leveraging existing programming opportunities where possible and creating new programming. Recommendations will be assessed by the Coordination Team to ensure that all EmersonTogether programming is coordinated.

Capacity-Building Team

Our Capacity-Building Team will increase the support for, and ability of, frontline students, staff, administrators, and faculty leaders to promote constructive dialogue, direct community members to resources, and proactively prevent or minimize harm.

This team will think through the different constituents who could benefit from capacity building and either directly create curriculum content, or identify external resources to bring forward. Recommendations will be brought to the Coordination Team to help ensure thoughtful organization of time and resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I get involved in planning for EmersonTogether?

In addition to participation in teams and/or planning for particular trainings of events, any member of the global Emerson College community can contribute ideas, questions, and suggestions by writing to EmersonTogether [at] emerson.edu.

How will we make sure this initiative is doing real work and isn’t just performative?

EmersonTogether is an idea, a way to affirm our values and bring us together. It is all of our responsibility to make sure we’re having the hard discussions and engaging experiences that make us feel like we’re working together to heal and strengthen our community.

How does this initiative relate to the College’s strategic planning process?

This initiative is not the same thing as the strategic planning process, but has an important relationship to that effort. What they have in common is a focus on and articulation of the shared values of our community. Lessons and ideas generated through EmersonTogether will be shared with the Strategic Planning workgroups to help inform the plan.

What will be the approval process for EmersonTogether events?

This process will be refined as the teams engage in their planning and development. As a first step, students, faculty, staff, and alumni who want to propose events as part of EmersonTogether programming can send ideas to emersontogether [at] emerson.edu (EmersonTogether[at]emerson[dot]edu) for the Content and Coordination teams to review. Please share how your concept has been created in the spirit of the initiative and strives to meet our shared goal.

How can I fit EmersonTogether activity into my already full schedule?

EmersonTogether won’t comprise only new things; it is also an opportunity to curate some of the great work already being done at Emerson and to make it more clearly accessible to our community. Managers and faculty will be encouraged to create space for members of our community to engage with this work, and the teams developing specific programming will consider multiple venues and modes for engagement.

How will the EmersonTogether initiative be resourced?

Part of the purpose of the Coordination team is to ensure that as ideas come forward, we use our financial and time resources responsibly and effectively. This initiative is designed to be for Emerson by Emerson. It is being led by Emerson people.

Team Membership

A list of the team members working to realize the EmersonTogether initiative are shared here and will be updated over time. We are eager to add students and additional faculty to these teams as they return to our campuses!

Leadership Team

Co-Chairs

• Christie Anglade, Interim Vice President & Dean of Campus Life
• Jon Derek Croteau, Vice President of Strategy, Innovation and Institutional Initiatives
• Shaya Gregory Poku, Vice President for Equity & Social Justice
• Alex Socarides, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Members 

• Rebekah Carmichael, Vice President, Marketing and Communications
• Brooke Knight, Assistant Provost
• Paul Mihalidis, Special Advisor to the Provost
• Melanie Matson, Director, Healing and Advocacy Collective
• James Merenda, Senior Executive Administrator, Strategy, Innovation and Institutional Initiatives
• Danielle Merrill, Director, Housing and Residential Education
• Jaimee Rizzo, Director, College Events and Special Initiatives

Content Team

Co-Chairs

• Melanie Matson, Director, Healing & Advocacy Collective
• Paul Mihailidis, Professor, Special Advisor to the Provost and Graduate Program Director, Academic Affairs, Journalism 

Members

• Leonie Bradbury, Distinguished Curator-in-Residence, Emerson Contemporary
• Kate Cherry, Artist-in-Residence, Performing Arts
• Angela Grant, Assistant Vice President of Student Financial Services
• Ruth Grossman, Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Jenn Nival, Director, Student Engagement & Leadership
• Jennifer Williams, Assistant Director, Archives & Special Collections

Capacity Team

Co-Chairs

• Brooke Knight, Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs
• Danielle Merrill, Director, Housing & Residential Education

Members

• Desiree Baker, Associate Director of Student Transitions
• Cathy Carney, Director, Employee Engagement
• Lisa Eiduson, Affiliated Faculty and Interim Director, Spiritual Life
• Alayne Fiore, Executive Director, HIVE
• Kellie Fuller, Manager of Talent Development 
• Sariva Goetz, Assistant Professor, Performing Arts 
• Sonia Jurado, Associate Vice-President of Equity, Access & Equal Opportunity
• Tuesda Roberts, Director of Faculty Development and Diversity
• Mary Whitehead, Director, Strategic Initiatives for Equity & Social Justice