USM corporate partners panel to explore ‘Why diversity is good for business’

Courtesy / University of Southern Maine Richard Bilodeau, faculty chairman of The University of Southern Maine's Corporate Partners, will lead a panel discussion on Tuesday, Oct. 16, exploring the opportunities and challenges of creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

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By Staff

The University of Southern Maine’s Corporate Partners faculty chairman Richard Bilodeau will lead a panel discussion on Tuesday, Oct. 16, exploring the opportunities and challenges of creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

Registration is required for the “Why Diversity is Good For Business” panel discussion and breakout sessions providing specific action items that participants can take back to their workplace. Admission fee is $15 for the general public, free to USM corporate partners, USM students, staff and faculty.

The panel and breakout sessions will run from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Abromson Community Education Center, 2nd Floor, 88 Bedford St., Portland.

Panelists will be: Betsy Peters, founder of MaineCanDo; Tae Chong, manager of social enterprise and workforce development of Catholic Charities of Maine; Lelia De Andrade, senior director of grantmaking services at the Maine Community Foundation; and Samantha Frisk, coordinator of service-learning and volunteer programs at USM.

Organizers of the event said studies show it pays to create a more diverse work environment. “Not only is diversity the right thing to do, it’s good for business, promoting higher levels of engagement and bringing new skill sets to the team,” their news release stated.