Graduate students of color from The Claremont Colleges networked with peers and heard from a pioneering role model over dinner on April 14, at the Claremont home of 蜜桃直播 President Sheldon Schuster and his wife, Susan Wessler.
蜜桃直播 (蜜桃直播) students were invited to attend the annual graduate students of color dinner, with guest of honor Dr. Vivian Pinn.
The tradition started five years ago when graduate students at CGU wanted to develop a sense of community. In response to student feedback, the Claremont University Consortium (CUC) coordinated a networking lunch for graduate students of color at the Administrative Campus Center. CUC annually invites faculty, staff, and other friends of The Claremont Colleges to this event. Last year鈥檚 event was the first to be held at a president鈥檚 home, that of Robert Schult, then interim president of Claremont Graduate University (CGU).
CUC Vice President for Student Affairs Denise Hayes asked if this year's event could be hosted at Schuster鈥檚 home. Hayes, along with Nick Daily, assistant dean of black student affairs, and other staff members coordinate the annual event.
As attendees began to arrive, many congregated near the entryway, while others dispersed outside to enjoy the backyard vista and desert flower landscape. Schuster mingled with guests, and small groups formed to share their histories and find similarities among one another.
Before enjoying dinner together inside, the approximately 40 guests were welcomed with a few words from Hayes, Schuster, and current interim CGU president Jacob Adams. In addition, Hayes and her team asked trivia questions about both graduate schools, rewarding winners with prizes branded with school insignia.
The guest of honor for the evening, Dr. Vivian Pinn, a renowned pioneer in the medical sciences, addressed attendees with a presentation titled 鈥淧ersonal Perspectives on Negotiating Pathways for Success.鈥�
Pinn provided a cartoon map of her successes. In 1967, she was the first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Virginia. Schuster interjected that there is now a Pinn Hall at University of Virginia. In 1991, Pinn became the first African-American woman to chair an academic pathology department in the U.S. In 1994, Pinn was the inaugural full-time director of the Office of Research on Women鈥檚 Health at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
While deciding if she would make the move to NIH, Pinn was hesitant to get involved in politics because of her assertive personality. Also, the decision would mean leaving her pathology chair position behind for a risky spot in government.
Pinn鈥檚 successes were not simply personal, but were also wins for minorities and women. One area that Pinn impacted greatly is the demographics of clinical trials. Besides trials limited to 鈥渂ikini medicine鈥� (medicine that focuses only on areas of women鈥檚 bodies that would be covered by a bikini), no other clinical trials included women. Pinn fought for women鈥檚 inclusion and urged further, 鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to be looking at women鈥檚 health, you need to include minorities and consider women鈥檚 careers.鈥�
Although Pinn鈥檚 personal pathway to success is an inspiration in itself, it was her sense of humor and advice that ignited the room.
As she began her talk, she leaned on a male student for support. She announced that she had received his consent and, in fact, he had offered his support, as she did not have her cane handy. Relaxed laughter filled the room.
Pinn鈥檚 presentation centered on the importance of mentor relationships. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have anyone I felt comfortable with, which is why I feel I have a responsibility to be there for students. To say 鈥榶es鈥� because of what has happened to me,鈥� she said.
Pinn also talked about how rejection is inevitable, and that students should not live in fear of it. 鈥淚f you want the best, you have to try for the best,鈥� she said, and with that comes the risk of rejection. 鈥淵ou have to reach for the stars or you鈥檒l never get to the stars.鈥�
Pinn recognized that, as minorities, students will face prejudice, but cautioned listeners not to get caught up in bias. Instead of worrying about bias, 鈥淪pend your time thinking about how you鈥檙e going to overcome it,鈥� she said. Commenting on the purpose of the gathering, she said, 鈥溾�楶eople of color鈥� is a better term to use鈥攎inorities aren鈥檛 really minorities anymore, as we鈥檙e growing in population.鈥�
After Pinn鈥檚 talk, guests had warmed up and were jovial, enjoying each other鈥檚 company and personal histories.