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Omaha, Nebraska - Nebraska Methodist College (NMC) has launched the Center for Diversity and Community Engagement (CDCE) to create a more inclusive campus and address barriers to health equity.
“Community engagement has always been a big part of what NMC does. Our mission is to positively impact the health and well-being of the community,” said Dr. Deb Carlson, president and CEO of NMC. “It became increasingly evident that diversity needs to be more than a goal. It needs ownership and accountability. The CDCE was created so there would be a focused effort on both. The CDCE will benefit NMC by ensuring that the College continues to grow in our community and diversity impact.”
The CDCE works to create an inclusive environment where the NMC community can build a culture of belonging and engagement, reflective of the greater population it serves.
Kiley Petersmith, who was previously the director of community engagement at NMC, will serve as the director of the CDCE.
The Center coordinates meaningful and mutually beneficial community engagement experiences to address diverse college and population needs, creates positive social change towards equitable health and cultivates active citizen leaders.
“Our work is and has been focused on holism - understanding that health can only be achieved when physical, mental and social factors are considered part of the whole, and the community that surrounds us is a significant aspect in promoting and maintaining health,” Petersmith said. “We are all interconnected. We use this mindset to guide the care we provide, addressing barriers that prevent equity in health.”
NMC works with nearly 100 community partners providing community and clinical outreach. Those organizations include the Element Learning Center, Habitat for Humanity, the Intercultural Senior Center, Mosaic, the Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance, the Open Door Mission, Restoring Dignity and Together Omaha.
The CDCE expands on NMC’s current diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, including the Social Justice and Inclusion Council. The Council addresses issues of diversity and inclusion by offering implicit bias training and monthly forums for staff and faculty.
Past presentations from the Council have included “Microaggression Awareness and Resistance” with Dr. Ferial Pearson, “Inclusive Communities” training and “Busting our Biases.”