e-Newsletter: March 2008
Nike Irvin Appointed Executive Director
The Board and staff of LPFI are pleased to announce that Nike Irvin has joined as our new Executive Director/Chief Change Agent, effective March 10, 2008. She will be leading the organization and its staff as we continue to expand our programs and further strengthen our organizational infrastructure.
Founder and Board Chair Freada Kapor
Klein said:
The Level Playing Field Institute is lucky to have Nike Irvin joining us as our first ever Executive Director. She brings a wealth of experience and wisdom, as well as deep commitment to our mission. Nike is the perfect person to build on LPFI's initial successes and take us to the next level.
Prior to joining LPFI, Nike (pronounced NIH-kee) served as President of the Riordan Foundation in Los Angeles from 2000 - 2006, overseeing grant making and administration in the Foundation’s interest areas of literacy and youth leadership programming. She served as Chair of the foundation during 2007. Ms. Irvin’s relationship with the Foundation extends back to 1996, as she was also the executive director of the Riordan Programs at UCLA, dedicated to academic and career development programs for urban high school and college students. Concurrently, she directed the Leadership Suite at UCLA, where she developed a nationally recognized executive education program for African American, Latino, and female leaders from US corporations.
Immediately prior to her tenure with education and leadership programming roles, Ms. Irvin lead branding efforts with international corporations including Nestle USA, Pepsi Cola Company, and Baxter Healthcare Corp.
Ms. Irvin is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, and serves on the Board of Directors of the German Marshall Fund of the United States and The Riordan Foundation. She is the Founder of the Gyges Scholars Philosophy Slam in Los Angeles, and has been involved with activities ranging from marathon running and golfing to SCUBA. Ms. Irvin holds a Masters in Business Administration at the Anderson School at University of California Los Angeles, and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Yale College.
Provide an IDEAL Summer Internship!
With the summer season just a few a months away, we look forward to a multitude of activities and experiences such as ball games, barbecues, and yes, that ever important summer internship. Who can forget the first time walking into an office or workplace? Learning the tricks of the trade, networking, and “real-world” practices that can’t be found on a syllabus or text book? Now, imagine if you could help provide this experience to a talented student of color from UC Berkeley. Unlike students from better-resourced families who have a professional network in career fields of interest, IDEAL Scholars are often first-generation college students who are provided these opportunities only through the efforts of LPFI and individuals who echo our mission of fairness.
If you are interested in providing an internship at your workplace, please contact Angel-Max Guerrero, IDEAL Director, at (415) 946-3093 or [angelmax AT lpfi DOT org], or Annette Angus, IDEAL Services Coordinator at [annette AT lpfi DOT org]. LPFI can also help underwrite the cost of providing summer internships if your company isn’t able to fund the full internship.
photo by octoberdog
Leavin’ on a Jet Plane – Donate Your Miles
This year, LPFI is offering our scholars the chance to see colleges and grad schools before applying or accepting offers. To fund student travels to top-tier universities, we’re collecting frequent flier miles. Students from better-resourced families have the chance to make a positive impression in person, and we hope to provide the same opportunity to our SMASH and IDEAL scholars. For more information or to donate your miles to LPFI students, contact Sara Leedom at [sara AT lpfi DOT org] or 415-946-3062.
Notice the ‘Giving Notice’ Blog
Last fall, when board chair Dr. Freada Kapor Klein released her groundbreaking book, Giving Notice, LPFI’s Workplace Programs simultaneously launched a “Giving Notice blog” to help reframe the discussion on workplace unfairness. The Giving Notice blog ties relevant media stories and current issues to key themes from the book such as unfairness, training, advice for employees/employers, and education.
Check out www.givingnoticethebook.com for thought-provoking blog entries like:
- Equal Opportunity…Does Your Company ‘Walk the Talk’?
- Harvesting the African American CEOs of the Future
- Knowing the Signs from the Outside: Tips for Job Seekers
LPFI actually started out as the “Institute for Inclusive Work Environments,” and one of our goals remains to shift diversity efforts from a focus on litigation-avoidance to the creation of equitable, respectful, and welcoming work environments.
In addition to the Giving Notice blog, you can hear on-the-job experiences from Corporate Leavers at www.corporateleavers.com.
Did You Know?
Report Notes College Advising to Advance Economic Mobility
In a new report authored by scholars at the Brookings Institution, researchers highlight the powerful role that college can have in improving economic standing. In the education chapter titled “Getting Ahead or Losing Ground,” author Ron Haskins, former White House and congressional advisor, noted the conspicuous lack of support to low-income but high-achieving students of color with respect to college applications. Haskins mentioned that students often do not receive good advice about applying for college and scholarships, or do not receive help after starting college. Quoted in the New York Times (2/20/08), Haskins said that “If we did more to help [students of color] complete college there’s no question it would improve mobility.” Download the full report here (PDF).
This report dovetails what LPFI already knows from working first-hand with high-achieving students of color. To fortify college entrance and success, LPFI has just recently hired a College Counseling and Retention Director and an Academic Director. As we serve a growing number of students, our supports are increasing to stay in line with student need and leading practices.