East Meets West at GCC

Multicultural Communications Club Hosts International Evening of Communication and Dining

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President of the SUNY Student Assembly, Lori Mould

BATAVIA, NY (03/03/2015)(readMedia)-- The Multicultural Communications Club (Toastmasters International) at Genesee Community College celebrates the diversity of its members at the third annual East Meets West event. The international evening of communication and dining is set for 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, 2015 in Room T119 of the Conable Technology Building on GCC's Batavia campus. Featured speakers include GCC graduate Lori Mould, president of the SUNY Student Assembly and Carlos Medina, SUNY chief diversity officer.

In the four years since it began, the Multicultural Communications Club has attracted strong membership and its members have earned a number of awards. The club, through its participation with the non-profit educational organization Toastmasters International, teaches public speaking and leadership skills. Many of GCC's International students are members of the club which helps them gain confidence communicating in English. The East Meets West event promotes awareness of cultural diversity through interaction in a social setting. An international food buffet will be served. "Our goal is to utilize this social gathering to create awareness and foster respect for the differences that make our club unique," said club advisor Jackie DiBella.

The evening will include a keynote address by SUNY Chief Diversity Officer Carlos Medina, who also serves as senior associate vice chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. A SUNY Cortland alumnus, Medina has 25 years of experience in education. In his current role, he provides leadership and strategic direction to SUNY campuses in connection with the recruitment and retention of faculty, staff and administrators who come from groups within our society that are underrepresented in higher education and in SUNY. Medina will speak about embracing diversity, which means more than tolerating people who are different. It means actively welcoming and involving all individuals from all walks of life and backgrounds and cultures.

GCC alumna Lori Mould will also speak at the event. Mould is a 2011 GCC grad with degrees in Communication and Media Arts and Fine Arts. A non-traditional student, she is currently working on a master's degree at SUNY Empire State College, from which she earned her Bachelor's in Photojournalism/Documentary Production in June 2014. Lori is currently serving as president of the SUNY Student Assembly, advocating for students statewide.

Lori has been active in many organizations and has taken on a number of leadership roles. She will discuss how she has developed her leadership and communication skills and how, as a non-traditional student, she found her voice.

For more information, contact Marketing Communications Associate Director Donna Rae Sutherland at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6616, or via email: dsutherland@genesee.edu.

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Editor's Note:

A photograph of Lori Mould is available here:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/LoriMould.jpg

A photograph of Carlos Medina is available here:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/CarlosMedina.jpg