Renowned DEI scholar visits Providence College
Mikki Hebl, Ph.D., author of Working Together: Practicing the Science of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, visited Providence College on Friday, November 8. Sponsored by PC Business and Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, her visit included an intimate conversation with student leaders from various campus clubs and organizations, as well as PC Business’ Berkeley Scholars. The day also featured a lunch talk with faculty and staff, and an opportunity to lend her expertise to the School of Business’ DEI committee.
Abigail Corrington, Ph.D., assistant professor of management, who was a doctoral student advised by Dr. Hebl, extended the invitation for the visit. Corrington said, “Mikki and I are very close friends and collaborators, and we talk several times a week. When we were chatting a while back, she mentioned she was doing a speaking tour at colleges and universities around the country based on the book she and Eden King just wrote, so when she offered to come to PC, I immediately tried to make it happen!”
Having known Hebl for years, Corrington added, “The PC community, and any community for that matter, stands to benefit from learning about her research on diversity and discrimination.”
Dr. Hebl’s visit began with a conversation with student leaders. This allowed her to share her experiences as an undergraduate student and her journey to becoming a leading DEI scholar. She answered questions and provided practical insights on how the campus could best practice DEI and build an inclusive community for all.
The campus-wide community then gathered for a lunch talk where Dr. Hebl discussed her book, Working Together: Practicing the Science of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Her talk focused on the science behind DEI, particularly on discrimination and subtle or unintentional bias, and how to put her research into practice.
Quincy Bevely, Ph.D., vice president for Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, reflected on the impact of the visit, “Having a world-renowned scholar like Dr. Hebl come to our campus helps promote the communal nature of DEI work. We all have a part to play in this and it cannot be delegated to a single person, office, or institution if we want it to be effective.”
School of Business Interim Dean Christine Earley, Ph.D. was pleased with the campus-wide support for the lunch session. “The session was very well attended by representatives of both faculty and staff. It’s unusual to have both of these groups come to a research-oriented session on campus, but I think everyone was able to understand the information and take away valuable insights. Any time we can come together in a respectful way and learn about different ideas and perspectives, we can facilitate a growth mindset across our campus community.”
Each participant in her day-long visit received a copy of her latest book.
Dr. Hebl is Rice University’s Martha and Henry Malcolm Lovett Professor of Psychological Sciences with an appointment in the Jones School and an adjunct appointment in the Leeds Business School at UC-Boulder. Her research focuses on workplace discrimination and how individuals and organizations can address it. She is a prolific scholar with over 200 publications and has received numerous national awards for her work.
