Inclusive Excellence Events

With the help of program members, the Office of Inclusive Excellence sponsors multiple major annual events that unite students of all different cultures and backgrounds.

Kwanzaa

A special rite of passage for African-American freshmen and graduating seniors, the Kwanzaa celebration fills the Student Activities Center with music, dancing, drumming, and storytelling.

Las Posadas

Las Posadas at Mary Baldwin is a family-oriented celebration of the Latin-American holiday reenacting Joseph and Mary’s search for shelter. Students, faculty, and staff take a pilgrimage across campus, stopping to celebrate different cultural traditions along the way.

Ajani

Ajani is a Swahili word meaning she who wins all struggles. The Ajani Celebration is a rite of passage ceremony that honors the engagement of graduating students who have committed their MBU journey to inclusive excellence and charges its honorees to continue their service beyond graduation.

Black Baby Doll Day Drive

A toy drive for students to donate black baby dolls to girls of African descent in the Staunton community. The drive builds relationships between MBU students and the broader community, and promotes positive self-esteem and self-image among African American girls.

Black Boys Read Book Drive

A book drive led by first-year P.E.R.S.I.S.T. students. The MBU community donates books by Black authors with illustrations of Black characters to children of African American descent in the Staunton community. This drive helps young children develop positive self-esteem and literacy skills.

Latine Congratulatory Ceremony

A special ceremony separate from Commencement that celebrates Latine students who are graduating.

Ida B. Wells Lecture Series

This annual fall lecture, named after civil rights journalist and activist Ida B. Wells, features prominent experts discussing topics of race and social justice within the context of current events

Previous lecturers have included political analyst Andra Gillespie (Emory University) and Ida B. Wells biographer Paula J. Giddings (Smith College).

Best-selling author and famed Smith College Africana studies professor, Paula J. Giddings, will give the second annual Ida B. Wells Lecture on November 8 in Mary Baldwin’s Francis Auditorium at 7 p.m.
Office of Inclusive Excellence 25th Anniversary

Sankofa Leadership Conference

A semi-annual conference connecting African American and Latine students with MBU alumni to discuss leadership and success in a variety of career fields. This event empowers attendees to grow in effective communication, team building, problem-solving, and other key skills of leaders.

Cultural Celebrations

Beyond these special events, Mary Baldwin’s Office of Inclusive Excellence hosts many annual heritage celebrations. These include National Latine Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, and Black History Month.

For more information on these and other cultural events at Mary Baldwin, contact the Office of Inclusive Excellence.

Contact Us

Destiny Woodall (she/her)
Director, Office of Inclusive Excellence

Email: dswoodall@marybaldwin.edu
Instagram: @marybaldwinoie

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