Leadership Anne Arundel a partner in promoting diversity

Anne Arundel County, like our nation, faces many challenges. All of us, especially those of us in leadership, must ask: “How can I ensure that I am an effective leader?”

Leaders must identify internal and external opportunities and threats impacting their organizations. Most importantly, they need a team of experts who can create and execute effective strategies.

One of the first things I learned when I moved back to Maryland was that Anne Arundel County had become increasingly diverse. That diversity is reflected in the makeup of our students.

As a national leader, Anne Arundel Community College understands the difference among diversity, equity and inclusion. As an Achieving the Dream college, equity means “each student receives what they need to be successful through intentional design.” It was important that the college, our community’s college, truly welcomed and served our entire community. Only then can we create opportunities for individuals to become leaders in their personal and professional lives.

An early step was to create the position of chief diversity officer. AACC was the first community college in the state, and one of the first in the nation, to create such a position. Our diversity officer works with faculty, staff and students to identify barriers and develop strategies to address necessary change. Critical to this work was revisiting our core values and ensuring equity and inclusivity were embedded in the objectives of our strategic plan.

AACC was committed to ensuring our plan focused on measurable objectives benchmarked for improvement that will help students complete their programs of study in a timely fashion and close the equity gaps that were evident in our passing and graduation rates. We took bold steps to restructure individual courses, create program pathways, and provide professional development to faculty and staff. I am pleased that early results evidence we are on the right track.

Our attention goes beyond the classroom. Our students have diverse backgrounds in work experience, academic achievement and, simply put, life. Some live in extreme poverty while others are homeless. Some provide for their families with little support for themselves. We have bolstered our support services, including HelpLink, which provides food and resources for students with the greatest needs.

We know we can’t do this work alone. Relationships are important. There is no better county to work and live than Anne Arundel County. We are committed to creating and supporting a county that is “the best place,” and work with many dedicated individuals and organizations to meet the community’s needs.

One such partner is Leadership Anne Arundel. This year, LAA celebrates 25 years of providing people of diverse backgrounds with the education, resources and networks necessary to become successful, proactive leaders.

This organization was one of the first to support me in my early tenure. I am proud to be a graduate of their Executive Leadership Program.

Every year AACC reaps the rewards as one or more of our leaders participates in LAA. Time and again, I find myself turning to my fellow LAA graduates, both inside and outside of the college, for their insights

and creative solutions.

To best serve our community, we must reflect our community and meet individuals where they are. For AACC, that means being an open, inclusive college that serves all, regardless of age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, economic status or any other definition we or they might choose.

To achieve our ambition, we depend on partner organizations, legislators, community leaders and many others throughout the county that share our vision to “transform lives to create an engaged and inclusive society.”

We support investing in the creation of aspiring and future leaders. We support diverse opinions and approaches in order to ensure our strategies are fully vetted. This new year, perhaps you will be the one to step up and take the lead.

Dr. Dawn Lindsay is president of Anne Arundel Community College and a 2013 graduate of Leadership Anne Arundel. Leadership Anne Arundel is celebrating 25 years of running programs to create leaders in the community. This is the first in a series of articles about leadership leading up to the 25th anniversary signature event on June 24. To find out more, go to www.leadershipaa.org.