Vergara named Provost Fellow for fall 2024
Dr. Reyna Vergara, associate professor of Spanish, has been named Mississippi University for Women’s Provost Fellow for fall 2024 to further her project of developing Hispanic Heritage Month campus programming that is focused on cultural intersections.
As Dr. Vergara identifies and works with campus and community partners, her project furthers the university’s strategic commitments to cultivating collaborations to create healthy and vibrant communities, while the programming itself will contribute to cultural enrichment as it enhances multicultural awareness and understanding.
In the programming Dr. Vergara and partners are planning for Oct. 3-4, participants will be invited to explore and celebrate diverse first-generation experiences within the campus community. Planned events are inspired by the themes of Alejandra Campoverdi’s “First Gen: A Memoir,” chosen this year to be The W’s Community Read, with the aim of fostering dialogue, artistic expression and community building as faculty, staff, students and alumni hold meaningful conversations and share creative displays highlighting the unique challenges and achievements of individuals who have been the first in their families or communities to break new ground.
Dr. Scott Tollison, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs said, “Dr. Vergara’s fellowship not only honors the experience of the first-generation student, but reflects our university’s dedication to dialogue and community connection. Her project will advance The W’s mission to cultivate vibrant, supportive environments for our students to grow and learn.”
On Thursday, Oct. 3, a panel discussion planned by Dr. Vergara and partners will include first-generation faculty, staff, students and alumni from The W and MSMS. They will discuss the role of family, community and their personal and professional growth as they navigated academic and social challenges. Student-created art and interactive media, including audio and video recordings of interviews with first-generation participants from The W and MSMS, will also be featured.
On Friday, Oct. 4, Dr. Vergara and partners will host a discussion and Q&A related to the theme “Breaking Barriers: Firsts, Onlys, and New Beginnings,” in which students are invited to share their experiences as first-generation individuals or the first in another significant life aspect. Building on the themes from the previous day’s panel, students will be encouraged to engage in open dialogue about topics related to access, belonging and community and share their stories related to being. For example, first-generation college students, women pioneering new paths, immigrants, those navigating physical ability barriers, LGBTQ+ individuals, artists and writers following their passions, single parents returning to school or students who are the first in their families to leave their communities to travel or live for an extended period of time.
“I am deeply grateful for the support from the Provost’s Office and from Dr. Clear Moore, the co-organizer of the Hispanic Heritage Month events,” said Dr. Vergara. “Thank you to everyone who has agreed to collaborate. I am delighted to invite everyone to join us on October 3 and 4 to celebrate and embrace the richness of our varied experiences together.”
Dr. Vergara’s project will also have ongoing impact, as the events of October 3-4 will set the stage for continued collaboration, with a teaching circle and the anticipated visit of Alejandra Campoverdi in spring semester 2025.