OHE Communication: April 23, 2024

Dear Campus Colleagues,
As co-directors of the new Office of Holistic Excellence (OHE), we have been working to develop a mission statement. We are also beginning to: 1) assess existing campus activities and their relationship with OHE, 2) develop internal and external partnerships, and 3) launch initiatives to support and embed holistic excellence into work and learning.

We are especially excited about a newly formed initiative within OHE, entitled UM-Dearborn: A Mosaic of Voices - Building Empathy Through Storytelling. This initiative focuses on building campus community and developing empathy as it is the substrate of effective diversity and inclusion efforts. OHE will also support storytelling-based research that aligns with its mission. In addition, we will collaborate with the Office of Research to assist faculty members in preparing and submitting proposals directly related to holistic excellence (e.g. building mental fortitude, resilience, curiosity, and empathy; strengthening civil discourse, reasoned argument, and truth-seeking; integrating technology and humanistic knowledge). We will more broadly assist in the inclusion of required DEI considerations into other research and grant proposals.

We envision the OHE Steering Committee (membership listed below) collaborating with us to enhance the OHE mission, develop criteria to evaluate and develop partnerships, and support initiatives. In addition to the steering committee, which will meet with us on a monthly basis throughout the academic year, we have also formed a special committee with the charge of determining areas where we might enhance diversity and inclusion efforts pertaining to student recruitment, retention, and success. Finally, we plan to work closely with subject matter experts in areas that overlap with important OHE goals, particularly with regard to faculty research and faculty, student, and staff engagement.

Please continue to email us at [email protected] with questions, suggestions, or ideas. We are eager to actively engage with you to foster a vibrant, supportive, and inclusive place to work, learn, and grow.

Sincerely,
Rima Berry-Hung
Shareia Carter
Marie Waung
OHE Co-Directors