Brian Corpening caps first week of vice president and Chief Diversity Officer forums
Brian Corpening has spent 30 years working in higher education because he wants to make opportunities accessible to students, he said.
Corpening was the second of four candidates for Central Michigan University’s new vice president and Chief Diversity Officer position. Corpening reflected on the work he has done in those 30 years during his forums March 20 in the Bovee University Center Auditorium.
Corpening is currently the assistant provost for diversity and community partnerships at the Unviersity of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. He has also worked in leadership roles at St. Louis Community College, Bunker Hill Community College, Illinois State University, Hamilton College and Morrisville State College.
“Neither my mother nor father went to college,” Corpening said. “But, they instilled in me this power of education. I always felt a strong connection with education.”
Corpening opened by talking about the philosophy and passion behind his work.
“It’s not about what I do, it’s about what I’m trying to do,” Corpening said. “I’m trying to create opportunities for individuals who want those opportunities. My passion is helping students achieve what they want to achieve.”
Corpening talked about the importance of engaging with the Mount Pleasant community.
“My job is to work with students on campus,” Corpening said. “But my job is also to know what is happening off campus and how it affects students on campus."
A student asked what Corpening’s definition of diversity was. After some thought, he concluded that while diversity includes difference in race, religion and sexual orientation, it also includes difference in thought.
“Life would be boring if we agreed on everything all the time,” Corpening said. “But, we need to learn to disagree civilly."
Corpening stressed that in order to make progress, students need to get out of their comfort zone.
“I believe in the power of being around individuals with different perspectives, different cultures, different experiences, different knowledge,” Corpening said. “It makes you a more well-rounded individual. But you have to move out of your areas of comfort. Sometimes discomfort is good. Discomfort provides an opportunity for learning and growth”
Corpening said he is the type of person who strives to create relationships. He added that creating relationships is the first step in changing culture.
“We need to create a culture where people take interest in an individual and find out what’s happening off campus or outside of class and be supportive of them,” he said.
Corpening said students have the power to create change.
“If you think about historically, the times change has occurred, students were at the forefront,” Corpening said. “Students have a tremendous responsibility, but also tremendous power to bring change.”
He also mentioned that change cannot happen overnight.
“Change is exhausting, yes,” he said. “But one day you look up and notice something completely different than you saw before. That’s change.”
Corpening, who calls himself a "student advocate," said one of his goals is to create opportunities for people to realize their goals.
"This is a community where we can exchange ideas and challenge each others ideas," Corpening said. "We have to create opportunities to do those things. And the best place to do that is here, on a college campus."
