Pamplin diversity conference to feature workshops
The Pamplin Multicultural Diversity Council's (PMDC) fourth annual Diversity Conference on Saturday, Feb. 21 will feature workshops by representatives from Target, KPMG, U.S. Cellular, and Philip Morris USA.
The student-organized conference, with the theme, “Diversity Success Stories and Benefits,” will be held at 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Inn at Virginia Tech.
“The purpose of the conference is to help promote and embrace diversity and give other students an opportunity to realize the extent and importance of diversity,” said Luke Gore, a senior in accounting and finance from Stephens City, Va., who is president of the PMDC, a student organization that aims to help students in the Pamplin College of Business and across the university develop “skills and sensitivities to manage and work in a multicultural environment.” The event is also “an excellent opportunity,” Gore added, “for students to network with the sponsoring companies and speakers and learn from their experiences in the workplace.”
The conference will begin with welcoming remarks by Pamplin Dean Richard E. Sorensen and conclude with a keynote address by Virginia Tech alumnus and Martinsville, Va., attorney Kimble Reynolds. Reynolds serves on the Pamplin Advisory Council and the university’s Multicultural Alumni Advisory Board.
The workshops, which will be “highly interactive and practical,” are: “Target Diversity: Focusing on an Inclusive Culture” (Target), “Building an Inclusive Workplace” (KPMG), “Strategy in Diversity equals Success in Business” (U.S. Cellular), and “The Role of Diversity in Organizational Engagement” (Philip Morris). Prizes (an iPod, a signed Virginia Tech football and basketball, and Target gift cards) will be given for outstanding student contributions at the workshops, Gore said.
The conference is free and open to all Virginia Tech students, but space is limited and registration required. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Apply online.
