WESTFIELD – Westfield State University will hold its seventh annual Sankofa Stoling ceremony on Thursday at 4 p.m. in the Scanlon Banquet Hall.
The Sankofa Organization of Diverse Faculty and Staff is committed to providing social and professional support for all faculty, staff, and students, creating a diverse and inclusive academic environment, and honoring the founding principles of Westfield State as the first co-educational institution without barriers to gender, race, or economic class. The directory of individuals who serve as part of Sankofa are dedicated to increasing multicultural awareness and fostering a culturally sensitive campus and serving as a resource to current and prospective students. Currently, there are more than 40 faculty and staff who serve as Sankofa Sages.
The concept of Sankofa is based on the words of King Adinkera of the Akan people of West Afrika. A Ghanaian translation of the purpose of Sankofa is “go back for which you have forgotten.”
The symbol of Sankofa is a mythic bird that flies forward while looking backward. In its mouth, the bird holds an egg which represents the future.
The chair of Sankofa is Christina Swaidan, an associate professor of art at the university. Swaidan believes students can learn from Sankofa in more than one way.
“It is a reminder that as we move forward we may look back and use the past to help us with our future,” Swaidan said. “At Westfield it is also a means to emphasize and celebrate diversity.
There are 65 Westfield State students being stolled this year by Sankofa. Swaidan is confident students will be able to channel the meaning of Sankofa for the rest of their lives.
“The students being stolled have been selected not only for their outstanding academic achievements, but also for their support and commitment to diversity,” Swaidan said. “These students will look back to their work at Westfield and bring forward an involvement in diversity as they move into their careers.”
The Sankofa organization supports activities that promote unity, diversity, mentoring networks for diverse faculty and staff, student scholarships for study abroad experiences, the admission and retention of historically underrepresented students, and the recruitment and hiring of both faculty and staff.
