Taylor Joins Multicultural Life and Diversity Staff

12/02/2013 

SUNY Cortland’s Multicultural Life and Diversity Office, which leads the College’s efforts in promoting an inclusive environment and celebrating different perspectives, has named Tamara Taylor its new assistant director.

Taylor, a Detroit native, began her duties at SUNY Cortland on Nov. 11. She reports to the director, Noelle Chaddock Paley.

Taylor most recently served as the assistant director for student involvement and multicultural services at Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, Ind., where she coordinated more than 60 initiatives and programs tied to diversity and inclusivity since 2011.

SUNY Cortland’s Multicultural Life and Diversity Office maintains a very active presence on the College’s campus, leading events such as the Unity Celebration and the Student Diversity Conference as well as many different lectures and training sessions. With eight multicultural student groups and four multicultural Greek organizations, the office’s work is evident across campus.

At Saint Mary’s, Taylor’s work stretched across several fields — everything from collaborating on campus policies and working with student organizations to event planning and creating marketing materials. She also was in charge of leading diversity training sessions and consulting with different groups and offices across campus.

From 2007 to 2011, Taylor taught courses related to communication throughout the state of Michigan. She served as an adjunct instructor of communication studies at Delta College, an adjunct instructor of communication and business communication studies at Mid Michigan Community College, an instructor and teaching assistant at Central Michigan University, and a volunteer teacher at Saginaw Correctional Facility.

She has presented at conferences and research symposiums professionally and as a student, on topics ranging from being an ally to the LGBT community to encouraging diversity in residence halls. Most recently, she offered a presentation for new professionals at the Women’s Leadership Conference at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.

Taylor’s professional growth over the past several years has been accompanied by a commitment to community service and mentoring regardless of the campus where she worked. During her tenure at Saint Mary’s, she served as a volunteer board member for the Dismas House of St. Joseph County and the Family Justice Center of St. Joseph County.

In addition to earning a graduate assistantship and a graduate teaching assistantship at Central Michigan University, Taylor has been recognized with several awards and honors, including the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program Scholar distinction.

Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Central Michigan University in 2007, focusing her research as a McNair Scholar on safe sex education and adolescent communication. She earned a master’s degree from the same institution in 2010 in interpersonal and public communication, concentrating on social movements and gender communication.