Texas A&M CVM Celebrates Diversity With New Video Campaign
“I am CVM. You are CVM. We are CVM.”
A new campaign by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) is celebrating diversity with short video testimonials by faculty, staff, and students that highlight the uniqueness of each person and their connecting factor—that they are all CVM.
But what does it mean to “be CVM?”
According to Dr. Kenita Rogers, executive associate dean and director of the CVM’s Office for Diversity & Inclusion, every CVM employee and student “is” CVM because they contribute to the overall identity of the college. The CVM would not be the internationally recognized college it is without its people, including the factors that make each and every one of them unique.
“By broadly representing the college’s staff, faculty, and students at all levels, ‘I Am CVM’ aims to highlight and celebrate the unique narratives of our diverse identities and how these identities come together to form the human tapestry that defines the CVM,” Rogers said.
Recent events have only further highlighted the importance of celebrating diversity.
Because the COVID-19 pandemic has created change and uncertainty throughout the world, CVM leaders believe that it’s now more important than ever for members of the college to support one another.
In addition, many Americans, especially members of the African American community, are experiencing fear, anxiety, and grief over the recent murder of George Floyd. The resulting worldwide protests have brought racial equality to the forefront of current societal concerns.
Hate and racism are not Aggie values, nor are they tolerated at the CVM. The “I Am CVM” video series seeks to demonstrate the CVM’s commitment to creating and maintaining a climate of inclusion, according to Rogers.
For these reasons, the CVM Office for Diversity & Inclusion has partnered with CVM Communications to launch the series on multiple platforms this summer.
The videos, put together by the college’s Center for Educational Technologies (CET), each include a two- to three-sentence personal narrative, with topics ranging from birthplace, religion, family, hobbies, and career.
The college’s Facebook and Twitter accounts will be featuring one student, faculty, or staff member every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout the summer.
The video playlist is featured on the Office for Diversity & Inclusion’s website and will also be used in additional ways in the future.
The “I Am CVM” series is not only a story of who the CVM is now but is a promise of the college’s goal to remain inclusive to all, even after the nation has healed from current events, Rogers said.
For all the unique individuals who call the CVM home, remember—you are CVM.
Enjoy this YouTube playlist celebrating the diversity that makes up the CVM.
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Story by Megan Myers
For more information about the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, please visit our website at vetmed.tamu.edu or join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Contact Information: Jennifer Gauntt, Director of CVM Communications, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences; jgauntt@cvm.tamu.edu; 979-862-4216
