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Domir Kent’s resume will be many pages long when he graduates from Millersville University (MU) in the fall of 2021.
Kent, an engineering major, is the president of the Society of Latino Affairs, founder of Millersville’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, a member of Millersville’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, a committee member for the Black Justice Council, a Resident Assistant for the South Village residence halls and is currently on a committee that’s working with the Student Memorial Center (SMC) to fill the building with more diversity.
As a result of this leadership and involvement, Kent was named the 2020 recipient of the Commitment to Social Justice Award.
“It was actually pretty funny. I got an email that said I was nominated and they needed a picture of me, but I didn’t think anything was going to come of it,” said Kent. “It was a shocker when I found out I won.”
Kent was ready to make a difference when he initially stepped foot on campus in 2016. His upbringing shaped his determination to make an impact.
Kent’s mother is Puerto Rican and his father is African-American. Growing up with different traditions and norms compared to the rest of his peers was just the way of life. His upbringing in Philadelphia, a city that is 65 percent non-white, also led to interactions with people of all different backgrounds.
“When I got to Millersville, I’m not going to lie, it was a little bit of a cultural shock,” Kent said. “Going from grade and high school where it was predominately Hispanic and people of color to Millersville it was definitely different. I felt like there was a need for better representation.
“It didn’t feel the same, going from Philadelphia to Millersville,” he continued. “I knew it shouldn’t and it wouldn’t, but I wanted to feel better represented.”
In 2016, friends told Kent he should join the Society of Latino Affairs organization, where he eventually worked his way up to president. As an applied engineering and technology management major, creating Millersville’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers was both career-focused and a way to close the gap on representation.
“I’m extremely grateful to be recognized,” he said. “But I still have a lot of work left. I haven’t even scratched the surface.”
Kent plans to pursue a master’s degree in business after graduation next year. He hopes to one day own a house-flipping business.
