September 12, 2025
4-5:30 p.m.

Dr. Claudine Taaffe, principal senior lecturer in the Department of African American and Diaspora Studies at Vanderbilt University, will be visiting Furman University in September to present a discussion and workshop for faculty and staff related to the Cultural Life Program session she will give at that time.

All centered on the topic “From Upside Down to Right Side Up: Ella Baker and the Power of Collective Leadership,” Dr. Taaffe’s faculty/staff discussion will take place September 12, 12:30-1:30 p.m., and her workshop is scheduled that same day, 4-5:30 p.m. Both are expected to be located in the Watkins Room of the Trone Student Center.

The faculty/staff programs are co-sponsored by the Center for Interpersonal Connections and the Faculty Development Center.  
 
More information about the Faculty Lecture: 
Leadership That Lasts: Ella Baker’s Vision for Faculty, Staff, and Community Impact 
Ella Baker, a quiet and Black feminist force of the Civil Rights Movement, believed that real change grows from the ground up. It must be nurtured through relationships, shared purpose, and collective leadership. In a time of digital fatigue, political division, and rapid change in higher education, her principles challenge us to listen deeply, act strategically, and empower others. This lecture explores how faculty and staff can apply Baker’s vision to our daily work, transforming small, intentional actions into lasting change for our students, our campus, and our community.