Building a Legacy: Rachelle Shurn’s Contribution to Diversity and Inclusivity at Marquette University

Sheena interviews Rachelle Shurn, the Assistant Engagement Director of University Advancement at Marquette University. Rachelle shares her story of how she and her husband left their small predominantly black city to make a fresh start in Milwaukee. Rachelle's journey led her to Marquette, where she is now dedicated to impacting women of color both on and off campus. Rachelle describes her role as being intrinsic in diversity, which she developed while working in a similar position at a community college. She shares how working with that college helped her to understand inequities in society and opened her eyes to issues surrounding diversity and inclusion. This journey has informed and sharpened her diversity lens.

The conversation shifts to the mural project on Marquette's campus, and both Sheena and Rachelle discuss the impact of this initiative. The mural is an impressive piece of art that Rachelle says is open to interpretation, and every time she looks at it, she sees something different. Rachelle also discusses her role as an alumni programmer for women's basketball at Marquette. She shares her goals of creating a following for women's basketball and building a fan base for the team. She spoke about how the women's basketball program must work harder than the men's program to attract fans, but the team is making strides, and they're getting better.

Listen in as Rachelle shares her passion for impacting women of color and bridging gaps at Marquette University. Discover how she's making a positive mark and leaving a strong legacy for future generations. Tune in to be inspired!

05:57 - So because I work closely with our ethnic groups as well as our national Board of Directors and women's basketball, and as a proud black woman, that diversity lens is intrinsic in what I do.

11:30 - The impact on me personally is I feel that I have been given an opportunity to be a voice, to help bridge gaps, to build relationships, and to just leave a mark.

13:17 - I look for nuggets in people, whether they're famous or whether it's the person that I'm sitting next to in church, a positive encounter or words of wisdom or sometimes not saying anything, just watching and observing how you engage with others. Those are the qualities in women that inspire me.

Interview

01:57 - Rachelle Shurn shares how she and her husband took a leap of faith in moving to Milwaukee without jobs.

We come from a very small, predominantly black city, Benton Harbor, Michigan, and just saw ourselves fitting into the Milwaukee community. We did not have jobs. We literally stepped out on faith, believing that this would be a great move for us.

What has been your journey working in the area of diversity and inclusion?

04:37 - My steps were just ordered unbeknownst to me. So the part-time job that I had at the community college supporting their version of a Provost for diversity, I would go with him into organizations to help him facilitate diversity training. And that's really when my eyes started to open around inequities that are happening and that some organizations or people they don't know, it's not always coming from a place of harm. But if you don't know that you're making racist remarks or that you're not being inclusive when you're sitting around the table.

What is your role in bringing more attention and support to women's basketball and the strides they have made in building a following?

07:00 - So my