by Julia Carachure
Assistant Managing Editor
Faculty, staff and students gathered Sept. 8 at Fasnacht Court for the reception honoring Harvel Lewis, who left her position as multicultural affairs director for the Institute for Multicultural Research and Campus Diversity on Aug. 31.
President Stephen Morgan spoke up on how Lewis was there for students during the tough times at the University. Morgan referred to her as the “Mother of Diversity,” because of her help in creating programs that deal with diversity and multicultural events. The reception began with Derek Vergara, executive director for the Institute, sharing some of Lewis’ accomplishments at the University, beginning with being an administrative assistant.
“Harvel really paved the way regarding multicultural issues and efforts. The Institute wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her,” Vergara said.
Lewis’ accomplishments include starting the Brothers Forum, an African-American male support group, she also put on workshops covering issues ranging from rumors to diversity. She has also been an academic adviser for undeclared majors, a personal counselor and coordinated programs for various ethnic groups on campus. She was an administrative adviser to organizational groups on campus and she also started the Single Parents support group. Additionally, she taught University 100 classes, Core 310 and currently Sociology As A Family.
After Morgan spoke, the crowd turned to jazz player Dr. Benson who played a musical piece. After the piece, he presented his newly released CD to Lewis. Then Mary Prieto-Bayard, associate professor of behavioral science, and Richard Rose, assistant professor of religion and philosophy, from the Coalition for Diversity presented her a leopard toy and thanked her for her work with the Coalition.
Loretta Rahmani, dean of Student Affairs, then came up and spoke on how Harvel has made a difference in people’s lives by talking to students as well as talking to faculty.
“Whenever I needed to talk to someone, I would go to Harvel,” she said.
After Rahmani spoke, Vergara shared a personal memory, which was about the time that Lewis gave him the encouragement he needed to start talking to his future wife Michelle, who was working in the Admissions Office at the time. When he got engaged, Lewis even volunteered to host Vergara’s engagement party.
Then Christina Ayala-Alcantar, assistant professor of psychology and executive director for research at the Institute, joined Vergara to present her a plaque to thank her for her work with the Institute. They presented her with a painting that has five people looking up at the sun, given as a symbol of people at the University looking up to her for help and advice.
Lewis spoke about working with students as a challenge for her and because of that, it has given her the encouragement to do many things in her life. Currently, she is working to finish her mediation training, which she started in April. She also felt that La Verne gave her the talents to do anything she wanted, which led her to start the Multicultural Center, which “started out as just having a table and a typewriter, which disappeared. Then it became a cubicle and then it became the Institute,” she said.
In terms of her plans for the future, she sees herself teaching more classes, acting as a consultant for Human Resources and doing diversity training at ULV. As for her training to be a mediator, she feels that people will resort to mediation more and more instead of going to court.
“I think of it as the wave of the future and I am looking forward to it. I am willing to sit down and talk,” Lewis said.
Lewis also hopes that the Institute will have a building of its own on the ULV campus.
“I hope that the powers that be will bring it to be visible on campus so that others can see that La Verne means it, that it wants to embrace it and being in a visible spot is going to change that.”
Julia Carachure
