Education Edge » Alumnus Named Director of Center for Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Engagement

 

Alumnus Named Director of Center for Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Engagement

by UM School of Education on October 7, 2019
Photo of Edney
Edney

UM Higher Education Alumnus Norris “EJ” Edney (MA 13, EdD 19) has been named director of the Center for Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Engagement (CICCE).

Since inception, Edney is the Center’s second director, who supports CICCE staff in coordinating and establishing initiatives which enhance the student experience for underrepresented minorities and students with other marginalized identities.

“This role means the world to me,” Edney said. “My student experiences as an undergraduate  at [UM] led to my decision to pursue a career in higher education. As a master’s student, I was given the opportunity to co-chair a committee comprised of students, faculty and staff who were tasked with assessing the campus climate and to make recommendations regarding a need for, and potential structure of, a multicultural resource center. That work led to the establishment of the Center for Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Engagement, which opened five years ago.”

The CICCE sponsors and hosts co-curricular programming which promotes cross-cultural engagement for students from all backgrounds. It is dedicated to creating a supportive and inclusive campus environment that complements the academic experience, connects and engages students with the university community, and provides opportunities for success in a multicultural society.

“I am humbled and honored to have inherited such an amazing space to make a difference at the University of Mississippi,” Edney said.

By Veronica Crawford