Zenephia E. Evans, Chair

On behalf of the executive committee and the members of the Black Caucus of Faculty and Staff, I bring you greetings as the current Caucus Chair.  For three years, I have had the pleasure of serving as Chair, Vice-Chair and Program Chair of the Caucus.  I want to thank the former chairs for their leadership and guidance during my first year as chair.  In addition, the retiring members of the executive committee and the various committees provided much needed support.  A heartfelt thank you to Antonio Tillis, Toyinda Wilson-Long and Thelma Snuggs for your dedication and willingness to serve last year. 

     I would also like to thank the incoming and continuing executive committee members and committee chairs for volunteering your time and energy to the Caucus for the 2009-2010 academic year.  I will tell you that I do not have all of the answers, but I am confident that together we will be able to work out solutions to the challenges that face us and to make better the things that we currently have in place.  I am excited about this year and I really appreciate your willingness to walk on this journey for the Black Caucus.  Please visit our website for a current list of officers.

     The Caucus has stood the test of time for the past 34 years and we hope to continue to be a stronghold in our community and on campus.  The reason that we have stood strong for so long is that we have committed people who are willing to give of their talent, time and treasure.  We are most appreciative of this and realize that without this, we are nothing!

     We are growing in numbers and if we pool our strengths, we can launch the Caucus to the next level of excellence.  We cannot do this without your support.  Please consider being an active part of the Caucus and aid in increasing our membership an our involvement on campus and in the community.  Let us be willing to pool our experiential resources and be a source of information for those who are new to Purdue.  We need to form a strong network that will carry knowledge and experience to those that will walk in the path that was blazed for us.

     We know that it takes a village to raise a child, but I know that it also takes a committed team to make an organization strong.  We need you to be a part of our strong organization!  Please consider being an active member of the Caucus.

     Please visit us on the web at http://www.purdue.edu/bcfs/ for more information and a list of upcoming events.  I invite you to join us for meetings on the second Wednesday of each month and Fun Friday socials each month.  On 31 August, we will welcome incoming first year multicultural students in the Shively Club of Ross Ade Stadium and hold a brief meeting.  Please join us on 18 Sept  to welcome the Vice Provost of Diversity and Inclusion, Dean of the Education and the Executive Vice President and Treasurer.   Be sure to check out the website for more details.  We look forward to meeting you soon!

Let’s make this a great year!

Zenephia E. Evans

Chair of the Black Caucus 2009 – 2010