DEI Student Advisory Board

“I joined the board to advocate for myself and the people closest to me by providing insight from our experiences and making changes we want to see! The board encourages the campus groups and faculty we work with to consider a variety of different perspectives as they pursue new projects that ultimately impact us!”

“The black community is often deprived of positive role models that promote intellectual breathe and exploration. I want to be one of those role models that other black children can connect with. I want to normalize being scientifically curious for black children. To me working with youth is important so they know it is possible to expand their horizons and they feel empowered to do so. I want them to know if I can do it, you can do it too. After all, as written by Maya Angelou, “together we rise.”

“I joined the board so I could help be a voice of change. The board has been important in making sure a diverse group of issues are being heard and attended to as well as spreading awareness.”

“Initiatives across the College are often siloed and the board acts as an umbrella structure to receive that bottom-up feedback that may go missing. There’s a lot of work to be done within STEM fields where discussions on equity and inclusion are not held frequently.”

“Michigan Engineering’s DEI Student Advisory Board has been important to the University of Michigan’s campus by promoting an inclusive and equitable learning experience for students with diverse backgrounds, which is especially important in the engineering fields in which DEI is currently not always as prevalent. I joined the board to build off past experiences advocating for DEI as a social entrepreneur and international proponent of equity to contribute to building a more inclusive and equitable campus community. I aim to collaborate with like-minded advocates to ensure that the engineering fields are accepting and encouraging of everyone, especially so future generations of minorities and women grow up knowing that they can succeed in STEM.”

“As a member of the Student Advisory Board, I look forward to dedicating my time to improving the student experience for my fellow peers in Michigan Engineering so that no student has to experience the same discrimination that I did when pursuing engineering. The DEI Student Advisory has played a pivotal role in developing and implementing creative initiatives to make Michigan Engineering a more inclusive space for all. The board has been impactful in its efforts and ensures that all students, staff, and faculty can achieve their highest potential during their time on this campus, regardless of their backgrounds or experiences.”

“The Student Advisory Board provides students an avenue to discuss topics in DEI and bring their distinct viewpoints and opinions to the forefront. Ever since I joined the U-M family, I’ve become very involved in DEI work through the ME department and other on-campus organizations such as GradSWE. One key takeaway from my limited experience thus far is that one can never become an ‘expert’ in this field and has to settle for the fact that it is a life-long learning endeavor. I hope that by joining the Student Advisory Board I can bring in my unique perspective as a woman and international US citizen and learn how to become a better DEI advocate in the process.”

“I joined the student advisory board to help be a voice for actual change on campus to improve the student experience.”

“I joined the board because I wanted to learn about and have an impact on the DEI strategies at Michigan Engineering. I’m so thankful to be able to work with these wonderful people to enact positive change at Michigan Engineering. The board has been essential in working to facilitate open conversations about DEI between staff and students as well as guide DEI at the College by creating spaces for faculty, staff, and students of all backgrounds to empathize with and work with one another.”

“The future of any industry is not just technology but also the push for change. I think that this board could play a pretty crucial role in allowing that to happen. In a campus where academics are so important, I think that the board has done such a great job of trying to put forth efforts that would allow for more and more engineering students to have an equal playing field.”

“I joined the board my freshman year to do my part to help ensure Michigan Engineering is welcoming to everyone interested in joining the community, and that no one feels excluded based on their identities. The board works to amplify the voices of all of the students in Michigan Engineering to make sure that students, faculty, and staff are all on the same page and can work together to improve the College for everyone.”

“I feel there is still a lot of work required to be done to make sure minorities are given the respect they deserve and that recognition that it is good to be different and unique.”

“The board highlights what students should do to ensure each individual has the opportunity to thrive at U-M regardless of any brandings. I joined the board to not only voice my own opinion on matters which I find urgent but to gain insight the others and learn more about my community.”

“I joined because I believe the DEI SAB will have a significant impact on a lot of students’ lives and I want a part of this movement.”

“With the board bringing together the brightest minds from Michigan Engineering to solve some of the toughest problems, the campus only stands to change for the better. I joined the board to help improve DEI practices throughout the College and make Michigan Engineering cultivate a better campus environment for all marginalized students.”

“As someone who is passionate about water and environmental stewardship, I believe that we must not only work toward environmental justice but also social justice recognizing that these two areas are deeply connected.”

“This board is integral in prioritizing the student first and ensuring that the quality of life and community in Michigan Engineering is as strong as possible” “I joined the board because I see a unique opportunity to contribute my experiences and thoughts to an important accountability holder in our community to help build it to be as strong as possible.”

“I joined the board because I wanted to make sure my own voice was heard in the College as well as the voices of my peers. The board makes an impact on decisions the administration makes, and makes sure students’ voice is held in high regard.”

“I wanted to collaborate with other students and be more actively engaged in Michigan Engineering to give insights on the student experience for decision making. I hope to help improve our campus for all who go here to feel comfortable and valued at Michigan. The board provides another pathway for university admin and students to communicate about issues on campus. University admin has a place to go to ask for information about the student perspective on topics and students have a place to consolidate and share concerns with higher university officials.”

“As an underrepresented student on campus, I appreciate the work that SAB has done to ease my transition into Michigan Engineering and feel like I belong. I know that there are improvements to be made at the Engineering campus and I hope to facilitate a more welcoming and inclusive environment.”

“I joined the DEISAB board to learn more about DEI initiatives on campus and to see how I could be more involved. My previous high school did not concern itself with DEI because most students were all of the same general race, religion, etc. Coming to Michigan was such an adjustment meeting so many different people, I felt the board would be a good way to learn how to navigate this new experience. The DEISAB has been important to campus because they take time to really address the most pressing issues on campus regardless of the controversy of the topic. If something DEI-related happens, good or bad, the board is always willing to address these issues when they are brought to our attention. We may discuss amongst our fellow board members or we host events for students to all be involved in the discussion. No other org on campus gets to do this the way our org does.”