A Year in the Making: The Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union

The following note about the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union (BSU) was sent to the University community on March 5.
A Year in the Making: The Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union

The following note about the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union (BSU) was sent to the University community on March 5, from Robert W. Davis Jr., Ed.D., vice president for Student Life, Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., provost/senior vice president for Academic Affairs and Elizabeth M. Garcia, Esq., special assistant to the president, executive director for the Office of Equity and Diversity and Title IX Coordinator.

Dear Members of the University Community,

More than a year ago, a group of Scranton students led by junior Tiannah Adams began working to form a new group on campus that would focus on the needs and concerns of Black students. Their work succeeded last fall when Student Government officially approved the charter for the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union (BSU).

The Black Student Union draws its name from Mr. Louis Stanley Brown, who earned a commercial degree in the Class of 1919 and is the University’s first Black graduate. Mr. Brown grew up and lived in Scranton for most of his life. The University honored and recognized him in 2016 through the dedication of Louis Stanley Brown Hall, located on the corner of Linden Street and Adams Avenue.

The Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union will advocate for the needs of all Black students on campus. It will provide a safe space for Black students to engage in conversation about the modern-day challenges of the Black experience. It will also provide leadership for current and future Black students, fostering the kind of community that will help them to achieve their full potential. At Scranton, community is rooted in the Ignatian commitment to cura personalis – care for individuals in their own uniqueness, which is essential to our mission as a Catholic and Jesuit university.

Through events and speakers exploring all aspects of Black culture, the Black Student Union will offer opportunities for the entire University to learn, reflect and grow in our understanding of and appreciation for the countless contributions of Black Americans throughout our nation’s history.

We want to congratulate the founding BSU President Ms. Adams, members of the BSU cabinet Ravenne Cooper, Koebe Diaz, Ayana McCalla, Damain Morris and Omolola Adetola, and their moderator Ruth David ’14 for successfully championing the Black Student Union on campus. We pledge our support and encouragement as they and their fellow students work to ensure that our community is inclusive and welcoming for all students.

Sincerely,

Robert W. Davis Jr., Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Life

Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D.
Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Elizabeth M. Garcia, Esq.
Special Assistant to the President, Executive Director for the
Office of Equity and Diversity, and Title IX Coordinator

Hear from members of the Louis Stanley Brown Black Student Union (BSU), below.

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