Juana Bordas and George Fair

Author Juana Bordas, with Dr. George Fair, vice president of diversity and engagement at UT Dallas, spoke recently at the first event in this fall’s Diversity Lecture Series.

UT Dallas’ fall Diversity Lecture Series explores how we can make our workplaces more inclusive.

“When you’re at the top of your profession, we’re going to be a multicultural mosaic nation,” author Juana Bordas recently told students at the first of the series’ three events. “We’re also going to be living in a global economy. One out of five people will be immigrants. You’re going to have to manage people from around the globe.”

Bordas, president of Colorado-based Mestiza Leadership International and author of Salsa, Soul and Spirit, trains leaders to incorporate diversity and collaboration into their organizations.

“Diversity says you have to learn about people, you have to respect people, you have to understand people from many, many different places,” she said at the event at the Alexander Clark Center.

On Monday, the second event will focus on expanding opportunities for people with disabilities. The fall series will end Nov. 12 with an event featuring two veterans who work with the Warrior Training Team at the UT Dallas Center for BrainHealth’s Brain Performance Institute.

The series is presented by the Department of Institutional Diversity Initiatives in collaboration with the Committee for the Support of Diversity and Equity, the Office of Human Resources Management, the Galerstein Women’s Center and the Multicultural Center.

“Extensive research has shown that embracing diversity leads to better decision-making, effective leadership and more successful organizations,” said Dr. George Fair, vice president for diversity and community engagement and dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies. “We’re pleased to present a series of lectures this year that will explore ways to expand diversity in the workplace through leadership and accessibility.”

The fall series will continue with the following events:

Oct. 19 — Davidson Auditorium (JSOM 1.118)

The Disability Employment Awareness Seminar will be held from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Click here to register. It will include:

  • “Where Are We and Where Do We Need to Go? Transitioning Students from College to Work,” a lecture featuring Dr. Joseph W. Madaus, director of the Center on Postsecondary Education and Disability and professor at the University of Connecticut.
  • “How to Market and Sustain an Inclusive Corporate Environment: Strategies to Support Employment for College Students with Disabilities,” presented by Emanuel Brady, chief diversity officer, vice president for IT in Space and Airborne Systems, Raytheon.
  • Panel Discussion: “Know It to Own It: Advocating for Your Rights through the Employment Process” with Michael Thomas, executive director of My Possibilities.

Nov. 12 — TI Auditorium (ECSS 2.102)

Jake Schick and KeeShaun Coffey, Warrior relations specialists with the Brain Performance Institute’s Warrior Training Team, will speak at noon. Schick and Coffey are both veterans. Schick served in the U.S. Marines; Coffey in the U.S. Navy.