Conversations during a Staff Unity Summit often center on forging new or deeper connections and breaking down silos. This April, several Notre Dame leaders partnered to bring this principle to life in a way that hasn’t happened in nine years of summits.
“We’ve always received great feedback from the Unity Summits,” said Eric Love, staff director of diversity and inclusion in Notre Dame Human Resources (NDHR). “People have asked for more events, and we’re doing that this year by holding quarterly sessions. However, we know that it’s historically been easier for exempt or salaried employees to take part in these events than it is for non-exempt or hourly employees. That’s a problem because our goal is to create opportunities for all staff to unite or come together.”
To help devise a solution, Love reached out to Mike Seamon, vice president for Campus Safety and University Operations, and Anne Griffith, vice president for University Enterprises and Events, and told them about the Spring Staff Unity Summit featuring a special appearance by 1968 Olympic bronze medalist John Carlos. Knowing that the lunchtime event would likely be a busy time for Building Services and Campus Dining staff, Love wanted to offer a special meet-and-greet with Carlos following the summit.
“It’s not lost on me that we often have these great events, yet we have colleagues who can never really participate—sometimes because their job is staffing these events,” said Love.
Both divisions responded with great enthusiasm to find ways to have their employees participate, ultimately sending many from their teams to not only meet Carlos, but also attend the entire Unity Summit without having to clock out and forgo an hour of pay. Love was beyond pleased with their support, although not exactly surprised. Seamon has been a frequent attendee at the Unity Summits over the years, and Griffith, along with her advisor Erin Thornton, have partnered with NDHR on other events to help UEE staff more fully engage with campus happenings.
Having a broad cross-section of staff at events like the Unity Summit can make for richer dialogue and deeper understanding. Attendees at the April summit sat at randomly assigned tables and started by sharing basic information like their names, home towns and departments before delving into more personal insights such as best moments of the week and speaking their truths.
Carlos, in addressing the participants, recalled several examples of speaking his truth—including the 1968 Summer Olympics medal ceremony for the 200 meter race, during which he and teammate Tommie Smith, gold medal winner, raised their fists during the National Anthem in support of racial equality for Black Americans.
“Going back to when I was a little kid, they would call me a troublemaker. But let me tell you about troublemakers,” Carlos said, before giving examples of how Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and Jesus were accused of causing trouble in their quests to effect positive change for those who had been marginalized.
As preparations begin for the summer Unity Summit in July and other events, Love and NDHR will continue to do their part to design programs that can benefit as many employees as possible. “There is power in making a difference [even though] sometimes in the moment you don’t realize it,” Love said.