Graduate Seminar: Donnie Perkins

Donnie Perkins
Former Assistant Dean and
Chief Diversity Officer
College of Engineering
The Ohio State University

Abstract

You are invited to join this transparent dialogue to discuss strategies to combat systemic racism and pursue racial justice in engineering.   Mr. Perkins will share some of his experiences and lead an open discussion with CBE leaders, undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff to review and advance department’s action plan to eliminate individual and systemic racism and its impact on African American, LatinX, and Indigenous students, faculty and staff.  Participants will have an opportunity to identify challenges to the action plan and are encouraged to share their ideas and thoughts on strategies to effectively implement the action plan.  All participants will be asked to identify at least one action step they are or will take to combat racism on a daily basis to create and sustain an equitable learning and workplace environment that affirms our rights, values our dignity, and leverages diversity, inclusion and equity.

Bio

Dr. Donnie Perkins is the former Assistant Dean and Chief Diversity Officer for the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University. Dr. Perkins joined the College of Engineering as the Assistant Dean and Chief Diversity Officer on January 5, 2015. Mr. Perkins reported to the Dean, provided strategic leadership on diversity, inclusion and equity for the college, was an active member and partner on Dean’s leadership team, and lead the College’s Office of Diversity, Outreach and Inclusion (DOI) that includes the Student Success Program (Minority Enrollment Program (MEP), Women in Engineering Program (WIE), undergraduate and graduate recruitment and retention programs, K-12 STEM initiatives, diverse faculty recruitment and advancement, student and staff diversity programs, corporate and community relations. He also developed and lead the university-wide Diverse Faculty Postdoc Recruitment Collaborative Initiative that complements academic unit search committee efforts to increase the pool of talented diverse faculty and Postdocs. 

Mr. Perkins has more than 30 years of higher education and healthcare leadership and proven experience promoting the value and benefits of diversity, inclusion, excellence and equity. Mr. Perkins believes there are no bystanders in diversity, inclusion and equity; everyone is included. As a visionary optimistic leader, Mr. Perkins is committed to and understands that diversity and inclusion must be aligned with the overall mission of higher education and the University. He sees diversity and inclusion as a key driver of higher education today and tomorrow as well as a major contributor to the future of America.