Foundations | Inclusion & Belonging at Virginia Tech

This podcast episode contains references to sexual and gender-based violence. Viewing and listening discretion is advised.

Special guests Caroline Lohr, Katie Polidoro, and Cait Simson join Anthony Scott, Chief for Inclusion and Belonging, for a discussion about the Virginia Tech Sexual Violence Culture and Climate Work Group. The Sexual Violence Culture and Climate Work Group is a multidisciplinary institutional work group established by President Tim Sands to advance the university’s commitment to end sexual violence and enhance preventative programming at Virginia Tech. Foundations Podcast is produced in partnership with the Office of Inclusion and Belonging and Student Affairs Communications. It is a podcast dedicated to conversations focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging framed through a college student's lens.

Special student guests Serenity Cortez, Elsie Boateng, Grace Shimkus, and Caleb Dankwa, join Anthony Scott, Chief for Inclusion and Belonging, for a discussion about their student experiences in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. The Corps of Cadets was established in 1872 and has evolved significantly since its inception. Various student affinity groups exist within the Corps now to help students find a sense of belonging and build community. Foundations Podcast is produced in partnership with the Office of Inclusion and Belonging and Student Affairs Communications. It is a podcast dedicated to conversations focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging framed through a college student's lens.

Special student guests Yussef Ait-Bella, Dianna Padilla, and Seli Gebreyesus join Anthony Scott, Chief for Inclusion and Belonging, for a discussion about their student organization called Closing the Gap. Closing the Gap is a student-run organization whose mission is to create a platform for difficult conversations and provide a safe space for students, staff, community members to express their opinions freely.   

Foundations Podcast is produced in partnership with the Office of Inclusion and Belonging and Student Affairs Communications. It is a podcast dedicated to conversations focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging framed through a college student's lens.

Special guests, Dr. James Bridgeforth and Chris Wise, join Anthony Scott to break down Virginia Tech's new Residential Well-Being model. Dr. James Bridgeforth, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and ExperienceVT, addresses the groundbreaking experiential learning concepts which Virginia Tech is implementing not just in the classroom, but in residence halls and students centers. Chris Wise, Assistant Vice President for Health and Wellness, unpacks the critical nature of making wellness resources a priority at Virginia Tech. This Residential Well-Being Model is putting well-being and inclusion at the forefront for its students. This conversation is led by Anthony Scott, Chief Inclusion and Belonging Officer in Virginia Tech Student Affairs.

The content in this podcast contains references of rape, brutality, racism, and suicide and may be disturbing for some listeners. Discretion is advised.

Special guests, Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs and Victoria Ferguson, join Anthony Scott to break down Virginia Tech's "Land Grant" mission by unpacking the enslaved and indigenous ancestral history of the land on which Virginia Tech is built. Dr. Moseley-Hobbs, a 5th generation descendent of John Fraction, unpacks the work that Virginia Tech must do in order to fully rectify its history. She unveils ideas of reconciliation, and addresses ideas to educate all students, moving beyond just land and labor recognitions, and requiring marginalized peoples' history to be taught in general education courses. Victoria Ferguson, an enrolled member of the Monacan Indian Nation of Virginia, highlights her work here on campus at Solitude House. Her work utilizes experiential learning to uncover and illuminate indigenous culture and history that was subverted with Virginia Tech's foundation. This conversation is led by Anthony Scott, Chief Inclusion and Belonging Officer in Virginia Tech Student Affairs.

University leaders Dr. Menah Pratt-Clarke, Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Vice Provost for Inclusion and Diversity, and Dr. Frank Shushok, Vice President for Student Affairs, engage with Chief Inclusion and Belonging Officer, Anthony Scott, in a touching and transparent conversation about race, belonging, accountability in relationships, and our individual duties to foster a more inclusive experience for the Virginia Tech community and beyond. 

Enjoy a candid conversation with Anthony Scott - Virginia Tech's Chief Inclusion and Belonging Officer - and several Virginia Tech Students - Thomas Miller, Imani Gainey, and Emma Rosman. Listen as they engage in a raw and vulnerable dialogue on the needs of minority students on a college campus, the intersections of their identities, and how they hope to enact positive changes in their time at Virginia Tech. Foundations is a podcast which is focused on developing listening skills and engaging in difficult conversations around topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.