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SCC dedicates 37-flag display representing the cultural heritage of employees and students
Somerset Community College dedicated a display of thirty-seven flags, representing the heritages of SCC faculty, staff and students, at a ceremony in the Harold Rogers Student Commons Grill on Monday, Oct. 15. The flags are permanently on display in the grill.
The flags were presented to the College by SCC Director for Cultural Diversity, Natalie Gibson. The initiative was coordinated through the SCC Diversity Initiatives Team. The dedication ceremony included personal reflections from David Evans, SCC Student Government Association Treasurer and a native of the United Kingdom; Mandy Davis, STAR Center Instructional Specialist and a native of Germany; and Dr. George Omwenga, Assistant Professor of Biology and a native of the Republic of Kenya.
Music was provided by the duo of Shane Talbott, an Associate Professor of Chemistry, and Shelly Branscum, an SCC student. Both are members of the SCC Vocal Ensemble.
SCC Physical Therapy Assistant Program Director, Dr. Ron Meade, chaired the flag project. His team asked SCC faculty, students and staff to recommend flags for the display and private donations were solicited to cover the cost of purchasing the flags. For example, SCC President and CEO Dr. Jo Marshall and husband, Scott, sponsored the national flag of Scotland.
“Seeing this colorful display of flags from so many nations hanging from the ceiling in the SCC Grill is a constant reminder of the diversity that exists at Somerset Community College,” Marshall said.
Flags included in the display are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cherokee Nation – Eastern Band, Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, China, Cuba, Denmark, France, Germany, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Venezuela.
In another example of how the flag project was funded, Shelley Burgett, SCC Library Services Director, was one of two sponsors for the Philippines flag. She elected to sponsor the flag because her father served there during World War II. Tita Riggins, a native of the Phillippines, also sponsored that flag.
Other sponsors for the display included: Becky Blair, Margy Blankenship, Gayle Borders, Linda Bourne, Shelley Burgett, Kippe Burnett, Dave Cazalet, Larry Chaney, Lenora DeBord, Veronica Manoukian DeBord, Joe and Natalie Gibson, Steve Hammons, Janis Hatfield, Dianna L. Hartman, Dr. Gwen Joseph, McGowan Excavating, Inc., Ron Meade, Nancy Owens, Chris Phillips, SCC Student Multicultural Club, Shelby Johnson Lawn Service, Cindy Thrasher, Zhiming Xia, Anita Walker, Sharon Whitehead, and Ann Zwick. There were also several sponsors who wished to remain anonymous.
The SCC Diversity Initiatives Team has stressed that the display is a “work-in-progress” and that plans call for adding additional flags as faculty, staff, and students of different nationalities and/or heritages join the SCC family. Requests for additional flags may be made to Dr. Ron Meade at ron.meade@kctcs.edu. Monetary donations may be sent to the office of Ann Zwick, SCC Chief Institutional Advancement Officer.
Somerset Community College is a comprehensive two-year institution of higher education. SCC has campuses in Somerset and London, centers in Clinton, McCreary, Russell and Casey Counties. The website is www.somerset.kctcs.edu. Call for admission and registration information toll free at 1-877-629-9722.
KCTCS serves the Commonwealth through 16 community and technical college districts that form a seamless system of 62 campuses open or under construction. KCTCS colleges change lives by providing accessible and affordable education and training through academic and technical associate degrees; diploma and certificate programs in occupational fields; pre-baccalaureate education; adult, continuing and developmental education; customized training for business and industry; and distance learning. For more information, visit www.kctcs.edu.
