A Reimagined BUILD Program Focuses on Leadership

Congratulations to nine new BUILD graduates

The Office of People and Culture (OPC) has led training in Broadening Understanding, Intercultural Leadership and Development (BUILD) for seven years now. Over 140 Clark employees have graduated from the program. 

The program is a nine-month commitment to diving deep into topics like inequity and white supremacy culture. BUILD members learn through conversations, readings, and exercises. They also discuss how to bring equitable practices into their work at Clark. 

For this year’s cohort—the red cohort—the OPC team decided to do things a little differently. 

Instead of group projects, like in the past, the red cohort leaned on their small groups for support, discussion, and accountability. They read The Four Pivots by Shawn A. Ginwright, PhD as a group, then completed individual projects on their own leadership styles, which they presented on May 14th. 

Andra Spencer said, “If we look at what BUILD stands for, we’re really focusing in even more on leadership development. We want to keep getting better at working across different cultures and focusing on equity work.” 

The presentations revealed the many ways leadership can show up in Clark employees. Here’s just a small sample: 

April Pereira, the Director of Special Projects in the Office of People and Culture, presented on the trickster archetype. To them, it represented how they tend to question the status quo and disrupt. 

Andrew Hillger, a project manager in Information Technology Services (ITS), presented an essay reflecting on how our definition of productivity has been influenced by white supremacy culture. 

Kary Truby, a services manager in ITS, talked about how working on showing up with more vulnerability in the workplace has positively influenced her leadership. 

In total, we have nine new BUILD graduates this year, who officially received their completion certificates at a celebration on May 21st. 

Congratulations to:

• • Mary Chavez, Teaching & Learning Center 
  • Kristin Christophersen, Sociology & Criminal Justice 
  • Phoebe Cordova, Student Success Programs 
  • Andrew Hillger, Information Technology Service 
  • Niira Krupnick, Career Services 
  • April Pereira, Office of People & Culture 
  • Lindsey Pierce, Credential Evaluations 
  • Ambrosia Stringer, Student Tutoring Services 
  • Kary Truby, Information Technology Service 

Kristin Christophersen said BUILD “allowed me to meet folks from all over the college who engage in a wide variety of roles. I learned not only about myself and how to advocate for inclusive change, but I also experienced the college community from a different vantage point... Equally valuable, I gained insight that allows me to pass on cultural capital to my students.” 

BUILD graduates keep active in BUILD after graduation by staying compliant with power, privilege, and inequity (PPI) trainings and continuing to attend BUILD meetups, where members discuss supporting equity on campus. BUILD grads are also able to serve on hiring committees to help support equity in Clark’s hiring practices. 

If you’re interested in joining the next BUILD cohort, reach out to Andra Spencer at aspencer@clark.edu. Applications open in June and will be open until the cohort is full. 

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

Story by Carly Rae Zent, Digital Media Specialist, Communications and Marketing