Message from the CNHS Intercultural Excellence Director
First of all, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all our faculty and staff who attended our first Hispanic American Healthstory Month event on September 17, 2025. A special shout-out to those who could not make it—I believe you’ll join us at our next gathering, and you can watch the recording of Cultural & Linguistic Diversity in Clinical Practice. To me, this was a powerful beginning, with sixty-two participants staying engaged until the very end.
Even more empowering was the presence of our Dean, Associate Dean, my supervisor, and the Associate Dean of LCOM, all of whom supported us from start to finish. Seeing them on screen gave me strength and assurance. CNHS, your unwavering support, resilience, and focus on a positive future continue to inspire me.
Since the start of this fall semester, I have taken part in—and sometimes facilitated—many campus-wide discussions about change at the student, staff, and faculty levels. Admittedly, it has felt overwhelming at times. Yet I am continually reminded of my inner strength, hope, and purpose, which help me stand firm and avoid distractions. These are what empower me to speak my truth and the truth of those I represent. We may express our hopes for change with different voices—some quiet like grasshoppers, others loud like lions—but together they carry the same message. Guided by the principle of Ubuntu—“I am because you are”—I believe we must blend our voices and draw on our shared strength to create hope and purpose for the future.
At the student level, I was honored to be one of ninety-six faculty selected across UVM to facilitate dialogue in this year’s Learning Communities. Each community chose a book connected to its theme, and I led discussion in the Global Connections community, which emphasizes building bridges across cultures, fostering understanding, and empowering students to become global citizens. I welcomed a small group of 48 first-year students (Class of 2029) to discuss How to Love a Forest by Ethan Tapper. Together, we explored questions of what it means to live in a time of ecological retreat, and how we might imagine a better future. If you haven’t read it yet, I encourage you to do so.
I also collaborated with Tammy, our CNHS Director of Student Services, to explore ways we can continue supporting our students’ success amid the changes on campus and beyond. During orientation, I spoke with several of our new students and was moved by their resilience and readiness to face the unknown with courage. Their hope and optimism remind me of the very force that has sustained my own endurance and achievements over the years.
(Below photo: The CNHS Orientation Advising Team with Sefakor.)
(Above photo: A picture from one of the DOIE deliberations.)
I was able to pull our staff together this month since they could not meet during the summer. As you all know, they worked hard last semester to plan their 2025–2026 events, including CNHS Staff Appreciation Month with Music from Different Cultural Backgrounds, which is featured on the CNHS Intercultural Excellence Calendar.
This event is happening from October 1 to 9. I encourage all faculty and students to join us in celebrating their first event. During this first meeting, I was glad to hear some fun updates—especially that they agreed to meet twice monthly, Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., so they can continue bonding as they plan the rest of their events.
Finally, I would like to use this opportunity to encourage you to engage in discussions about the current changes happening around the USA and on campus so that you can stay informed. Our meeting with my fellow directors under the Division of Intercultural Excellence (DOIE) was nothing short of an eye-opener for me. Personally, I recently learned that Department of Justice (PDF) memos and executive orders are interpretations of the law. Also, I would like to inform you that we are moving away from the term Inclusive Excellence and instead using Intercultural Excellence, which still promotes a sense of belonging by uplifting Our Common Ground values.
The message is very simple: moving forward, we need to be intentional in connecting our teaching, research/scholarship, service, and other activities to our Common Ground as we build the UVM community together. I wish you a very fruitful Fall 2025 and know we will work toward the betterment of the world.
Sefakor G.M.A. Komabu-Pomeyie, Ph.D.
Director of Intercultural Excellence
What Has Been Done:
CNHS Student Club, Kaleidoscope, elected their new leadership team
The first-ever Faculty Workshop between CNHS and LCOM was held successfully
Learning Community sessions were held
Message from the Chair of the CNHS Committee on Intercultural Excellence
Dear UVM Community,
I’m honored to welcome you as the Chair of the Committee on Intercultural Excellence. Our excellence as a community depends on how well we value, engage with, and include the diverse perspectives of our students, staff, faculty, and administrators.
Creating an environment where everyone feels valued and connected takes intention. It means celebrating diversity, addressing barriers to inclusion, supporting one another, and holding ourselves accountable to these shared values. One way we’re doing this is by supporting Kaleidoscope, a student group that builds community through programs that ease the transition into university life. Another is by joining the Intercultural Excellence Events hosted by CNHS and LCOM, where we can listen, learn, and grow together. I also encourage you to connect with the Committee on Inclusive Excellence—share your experiences, ideas, and energy. The more voices we bring in, the stronger our community will be.
Together in this, Noah Barclay-Derman
CNHS CIE Committee Chair
Staff Corner
Please join us at the Staff Appreciation Lunch on the Green for a CNHS committee presentation of music from around the world on October 9, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It was a great honor and pleasure compiling this playlist. I gathered as much staff input as possible to create it, including recommendations and discoveries from exploring the countries of origin of our staff members.
Creating this playlist has been a great stress-reducing endeavor and has made me feel more connected to the UVM staff community. It was a fun and pleasant experience talking with staff about their musical heritage and the music they’d enjoy at Staff Appreciation. Everyone I spoke with was excited about this project—including me! I enjoyed listening to the variety of music and developed a deeper understanding of global popular music.
I look forward to celebrating staff in October and hope everyone enjoys the music as much as I did.
Brittany Porter, M.A. [they/them] Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Wellness Corner
The CNHS Wellness Committee will meet on:
Monday, October 27 at 4:00 PM in Rowell 310
Friday, December 5 at 11:00 AM in Rowell 310
All are welcome!
October is full of opportunities to experience mindfulness in new ways. Please join Employee Wellness and your colleagues in boosting your mindfulness practice this month through Reimagine Mindfulness. We’re offering both ongoing and date-specific events, available in-person and virtually. We encourage you to attend with a friend, colleague, or as a team. We’ve partnered with Staff Appreciation Week, and faculty and leadership are warmly invited to all Employee Wellness engagement opportunities. All are welcome to participate! Explore more:
Questions? Please reach out to employeewellness@uvm.edu
Faculty Corner
Connecting cultures, communities and abilities to the work we do: We had a great experience being a part of a rock-climbing program that encouraged individuals with Parkinson’s disease to get on the wall! It was super impactful to open the door for people to try a new hobby or rediscover an old one!
(Photos below: 1. Rock climbing indoors; 2. An RMS staff meeting.)
Student Corner
This month, Kaleidoscope, which is the students’ club of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, gathered together in their first meeting for the 2025 fall semester. While getting to know one another, we all discussed our unique visions we bring to this club while also establishing the principles that CNHS Kaleidoscope prides itself on. The club aims to give a voice to those who have been traditionally unheard in the community.
I knew instantly I wanted to be a part of this club because of my experience growing up here in Vermont. In high school, I volunteered at the UVM Medical Center. Here, I was able to form patient relations and help make patients and families experience better. I also saw the lack of translators for the many families of virious cultural backgrounds. Being a Vietnamese American, I empathize with the struggles of language barriers I witnessed my family go through for many years. Hence, through kaleidoscope as the vice president I am able to take the action to strive for more language accessible services. Through the board, I can be a representative for the diverse communities within Vermont. I will demonstrate the openness Kaleidescope showcases.
If you have a desire that would make UVM a better community for all, please join Kaleidoscope because I can guarantee you, we will listen and take action. Please join us in Rowell 301 every Tuesday from 3pm to 4pm. Or reach out to Sefakor.komabu-pomeyie@uvm.edu to join.
Shaina Nguyen (she/her)
Class of 2029
Medical Laboratory Science Major
(Photo above: Members of CNHS Kaleidoscope.)
What's Happening
Food & Fellowship Interfaith Breakfast
Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024 Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Location: Interfaith Center, 400 South Prospect St., Redstone Campus (under the Water Tower) Details: Join us for the first Interfaith Breakfast of the semester—a relaxed, drop-in gathering to meet fellow students, staff, and faculty. Learn about our faith partners, enjoy a great meal, and connect with others or take a quiet moment if you prefer.
Responding When Your Classroom Gets Odd: Navigating the Unexpected Date: Thursday, October 9, 2025 Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Location: Davis Center 403, Williams Family Room Note: This session is offered only once.
Virtual Presentation: Changing the Narrative on Disability Date: Friday, October 10, 2025 Time: 2:30 PM (Eastern Time, US & Canada) Format: Virtual Hosted by: The Second Cohort of Social Change Ambassadors International Certificate in Disability Studies Program, University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana & University of Vermont (UVM), USA Topic: Helping Ghanaians Change the Negative Narratives about Disability Register: Zoom Registration
Panel & Film Discussion: Indigenous Food Sovereignty Date: Monday, October 13, 2025 Format: In-person & Virtual Location: John Dewey Lounge, Old Mill 325 Zoom Link: go.uvm.edu/indigenouspeoplesday Featuring: Gather — available via UVM Library Streaming or Netflix Admission: Free and open to the public Sponsored by: Office of the Vice Provost for Intercultural Excellence
Save the Date: CNHS Intercultural Environmental Challenges Date: Monday, October 13, 2025 Time: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Details:Join the College of Nursing and Health Sciences for a conversation on intercultural environmental challenges. More details to come.
