There’s no better way to kick off Black History Month than with a conversation about where we’ve come from and where we’re going.
On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the First-Gen Organization at Ferris hosted a fireside chat featuring President Bill Pink and Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion and Strategic Initiatives David Pilgrim.
The chat consisted of four central questions discussed that centered around leadership, change, inclusion, and the importance of the past when looking toward the future.
Pink and Pilgrim demonstrated what it means to be true leaders and foster positive change for Ferris students, as well as others in the community.
They spoke about the change that has occurred since the abolition of slavery and what still needs to be done in the future.
To follow, they explored the history shaping Ferris and driven it to become what it is today, reflecting on what Woodbridge Ferris intended his university to be.
Pink and Pilgrim share an incredible passion for standing up for what is right despite what the popular opinion might be.
“If you don’t stand up for something, you’ll fall for anything,” Pilgrim said.
Pilgrim also expressed the importance of vulnerability in leadership throughout the chat.
After the conclusion of the event, Office of Multicultural Student Services Director Christopher Sanders reflected on Pilgrim’s insight on good leadership.
“I think what it looks like to be a true leader is being yourself,” Sanders said. “Like Dr. Pilgrim was saying, standing up for something and not compromising on your values, no matter what those are.”
Pilgrim reflected on the values and desires that Ferris State University was founded upon, expressing the importance of creating a space that welcomes everyone.
“Woodbridge Ferris wanted to create an institute where common people could reach their fullest potential,” Pilgrim said. “He wanted to create one where everyone believed the university belonged to them as much as it belonged to anyone else.”
They were not the only ones who stressed the importance of this idea moving forward.
Sanders expressed his desire for inclusion in the future at Ferris, mentioning the goals that Woodbridge Ferris originally had as well.
“I want it to be a place where every student at Ferris feels like this is their university,” Sanders said. “That there’s opportunities that they can take advantage of just knowing that this is their space as well.”
Another discussion point was the cruciality of being a voice for those who aren’t included in conversations.
Associate Dean of Students Kavaris Sims emphasized why it is imperative that we seek to create change on a small scale by standing up for what is right in everyday conversations.
“Change happens at the dinner table,” Sims said. “Often people believe that the most effective work happens on stage. When we’re walking out, protesting, or boycotting something. It really happens in the kitchen at your table.”
Conversation between Pink and Pilgrim stressed the need for understanding the past in order to carve a path to move forward on.
Sims reflected on how he views why knowing about the past is important to moving forward.
“It’s important to understand where we came from and what that looks like because it’s very hard to make a pathway forward if you don’t know where you came from,” Sims said.
Before concluding the chat, Pink expressed his concern about social isolation and the forces that drive it.
“Sometimes I walk past students and ask them how they’re doing, and they never even look up,” Pink said. “They’ve got their earbuds in and many of them will ever even know I walked past them.”
Sims reflected on Pink’s discussion of the social isolation that is currently plaguing our society.
“I think where we are now, people need to have more in-depth discussions amongst their peers and family members, and the folks they’re closest to because the problem right now is that we’re so isolated,” Sims said
As Black History Month continues, this event reminds us all of the importance of inclusion and community at Ferris.