Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) employees and students will focus on ensuring everyone feels welcome. The theme “Pride and Belonging” has been chosen to emphasize this goal.
The message “You are welcome here” has been visible on campus for the past decade through signage and social media hashtags. However, this year, the TMCC Leadership Fellows program highlighted the importance of fostering a welcoming atmosphere for all students and staff.
“With the things that have been going on the past few years, it is important for students and faculty to feel that they belong somewhere. TMCC offers that through its diverse student and faculty populations and the many resources it offers to help those who need a safe space. This is where the belonging comes from,” said Stephanie Mead, Paramedic Program Director/EMS Coordinator and Leadership Fellow participant.
Student Life Executive Director YeVonne Allen added, “I think it is a great step forward that the Fellows Program chose pride and belonging. Wanting to make a campus-wide, unified effort to ensure folks feel they belong is important.”
Juana Reynoza-Gomez, Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability Office (EISO) Program Director, stated: “For me, [the theme] means I take pride in changing lives and being part of a community college that is a Hispanic Serving Institution. It means trying to remove barriers and create more access for all students to be successful.”
The Student Life Department and EISO have collaborated on two community-wide initiatives. Earlier this month, TMCC participated in the Northern Nevada Pride festival and parade as an event sponsor. Allen noted: “[Participating in the Pride event] ties TMCC to our real community outreach… We train your technicians; we train your teachers; we train your nurses.”
TMCC President Karin Hilgersom joined mascot Wizard the Lizard, faculty members, and students from the Student Government Association (SGA) at these events. Allen shared: “People get so excited seeing TMCC in the Parade and Festival… You could hear people yelling ‘I go there. I graduated from there.’”
At the festival’s booth areas, Counseling Center members hosted a bracelet-making table while Recruitment and Access Center members answered questions about TMCC.
Reynoza-Gomez mentioned other cultural heritage celebrations like Hispanic Heritage Month: “We opened up this week with Latinx Sip and Paint… Then we incorporated Hispanic heritage into TMCC Spirit Day by bringing Ballet Folklórico Flor De Castilla.”
She emphasized mental health’s role in fostering belonging: “My office is partnering with counseling services to raise awareness about mental health… focusing on fostering dialogue around identity.”
Students are also involved in these efforts. SGA President Lisha Allison expressed her enthusiasm: “Pride and belonging mean being at home… feeling like you’re part of something.” SGA has planned events such as Kickstart Tailgate Fundraiser on Sept. 21st supporting soccer players at TMCC.
National Coming Out Day will be observed on Oct. 10th with inclusivity for everyone beyond just LGBTQ groups.
Allison further explained: “TMCC doesn’t want to feel like they’re putting people in a box… It’s more having an inclusive environment.”
Mead concluded by saying: “We want everyone to feel like they truly belong here as a student or employee… Pride in our diverse institution as well.”
Reynoza-Gomez hinted at future events celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day, Native American History Month, Black History Month, among others.
“Pride and belonging are essentially feeling like you can be part of something,” Allison reiterated.
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