Michael Keehan
Staff Writer
The Dr. Rita Smith Wade-El Intercultural Center for Student Engagement, or the ICSE for short, is a diversity-related office located in room 111 of the Student Memorial Center (SMC). It opened on Jan. 30, 2018, and was given its current name on Sept. 19 of that year to honor Dr. Smith Wade El. A professor of psychology, Dr. Smith Wade-El taught for thirty-five years on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, and the psychology behind them. She directed the African American Studies department and was instrumental in the creation of the African American Studies and Latino Studies minors.
Though Dr. Smith Wade-El passed away from breast cancer on Dec. 29, 2018, the ICSE was created to carry on her legacy and charitable service to the community. In their mission statement, it is written that the goal of the ICSE is “To facilitate the inclusive shared learning experiences of students where all can engage in dialogue, challenge barriers and build collaborative relationships.”
The ICSE not only funds and organizes events for inclusivity and cultural acceptance, but also provides a safe, comfortable space for anyone who stumbles into the warm building.
Starting in the fall semester of 2023, the ICSE was led by Denice Velez, who previously served as the associate director for the Dowdy Multicultural Center at West Chester University. Joined by a group of student coordinators, the ICSE held various events on campus, including three events in January honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Shortly before the new semester began, however, Velez unexpectedly left the ICSE. This departure left Ron Wiafe, Associate Vice President of Student Engagement, as interim director until a new one was found.
Unfortunately, there has been no update on a future director for ICSE, and Wiafe has likely been too busy with his full-time job to manage the center. This led to fewer events taking place and a sharp decrease in activity for the ICSE. Employees across the SMC have had no idea what to do regarding the office, or even if there was anything they were able to do. Activity in the office all but vanished, and the snack and supplies closets haven’t been restocked since Spring. The most likely activity now would be with clubs under the umbrella of the Identity-Based Organization Council (IBOC), which occasionally holds meetings there. Not even the web page on Millersville’s official website has been updated to inform of the vacancy in the top position.
In addition, members of the IBOC, which works closely with the ICSE, have been left in a perpetual state of uncertainty about what they would do and who they would be advised by. People in the IBOC like Elliot Simcoe and Aneesah Brailford were mentored and trained by Velez, yet were only told of her departure with a week’s notice. Since then, Simcoe has spoken about how they and Brailford have struggled to find new contacts and supporters for these groups, and Simcoe has yet to hear back from the Student Government Association on the status of their Transgender Action Group (TAG) as a club.
Simcoe hasn’t seen any sign of a deliberate attack on any ICSE-related programs, and they don’t believe these setbacks are intentional. Still, there are people in power who only do DEI-related things for their requirements, and in the cracks, there are shortcomings. They purposely undermine them. Simcoe said “those in power tend to only do what makes them look good and brings them profit. Millersville University rarely upholds its EPPIIC value of Inclusion, with shortcomings in attitudes on gender identity, disability and affordable access to education.”
At a time when politicians and media figures are railing against “DEI” and “CRT,” people like Simcoe fear that important institutions of community building like this are in danger.
In the meantime, Wiafe has made some progress in starting the engines back up in the ICSE. According to Simcoe, he has been getting feedback on the center’s future and has also begun work with the TAG on their upcoming Trans Day of Visibility celebration. The future of the ICSE is still uncertain, and in the meantime, students can get in contact and help by visiting them during SMC operating hours or contacting them at icse@millersville.edu.