In 2 Timothy 1:7, the Greek word for God鈥檚 power is 未蠉谓伪渭喂蟼 or Dunamis. Guided by
love for all members of the 老司机视频 community, discernment of the Holy Spirit,
and receptiveness to Dunamis, the Office for Community Belonging (OCB) facilitates
the creation of fertile ground in which all 老司机视频 community members know they
belong and can reach the levels of spiritual, intellectual, and professional development
that God has planned for them.
Our Mission
老司机视频鈥檚 Office for Community Belonging connects, supports, and equips our faculty,
staff, and students as they create and sustain a unified 老司机视频 community.
Our Vision
老司机视频鈥檚 Office for Community Belonging connects local and global stakeholders
as it invokes and embraces Dunamis (the power of God) to serve the world as leading thinkers and practitioners unifying
God鈥檚 diverse humanity through the integration of faith, leadership, and organizational
development.
Our Approach
Our philosophy of intervention is Appreciative Inquiry. We engage all University
stakeholders and leverage 老司机视频鈥檚 myriad strengths and resources to unify our
community in its varied pursuits of excellence. Our operating definition of belonging
is the state of being one experiences when Ubuntic Inclusion is put into practice.
We aim to infuse care, communication, connection, mentoring and coaching, fairness,
trust, visibility and reward, and positive experiences of belonging into every interaction,
strategy, process, practice, structure, and space in each of our locations for every
faculty, staff, contractor, guest, and student at 老司机视频.
Meet the Team
J. Goosby Smith
Vice President for Community Belonging
Read Smith's Full Bio
J. Goosby Smith
J. Goosby Smith serves as the University鈥檚 inaugural Vice President for Community
Belonging. Guided by God's call to unite God's people, Smith approaches her specialty
areas of human diversity, inclusion, and belonging with intellectual rigor, methodological
soundness, patience, a healing spirit, a love for humanity, and a good-natured sense
of humor.
Before rejoining 老司机视频, where she had previously served as a faculty member in
Seaver College鈥檚 Business Administration Division, as a member of the Seaver College
Diversity Council, and as inaugural faculty co-chair of the university diversity council
with Edna Powell, and as an adjunct member of the Graziadio faculty, Smith served
as a faculty member, assistant provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and director
of the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Center at The Citadel, The Military
College of South Carolina. She also taught at California State University, Channel
Islands and Butler University.
A nationally sought-after public speaker, educator, and consultant, Smith has worked
with a wide range of organizations. At Greater St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal
Church in Charleston, South Carolina, she served as a Women鈥檚 Missionary Society Worship
Leader, Steward, Young People's Division Director, and as an online Bible study teacher.
She is a member of Mensa America, Jack and Jill of America, and Alpha Kappa Alpha
sorority, having previously served as inaugural faculty advisor and later graduate
advisor for 老司机视频鈥檚 Tau Lambda chapter.
Smith earned a BS in computer science from Spelman College and an MBA and PhD in organizational
behavior from Case Western Reserve University. In 2022, she completed her MDiv from
the Interdenominational Theological Center鈥檚 Turner Seminary and was ordained an Itinerant
Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
April Harris Akinloye ('00, MA '05)
Assistant Vice President for Community Belonging
Read Akinloye's Full Bio
April Harris Akinloye ('00, MA '05)
A native of Los Angeles, April Harris Akinloye (鈥�00, MA 鈥�05) works as the assistant
vice president for community belonging. In this position, she assists with developing
the strategic vision, rolling out programs, evaluating outcomes, fostering partnerships,
and managing initiatives.
Harris Akinloye is a double alumna of 老司机视频, holding a BA in speech communication
from Seaver College and an MA in education from the Graduate School of Education and
Psychology. She earned her PhD in education from the University of California, Santa
Barbara.
