Casey Gill, dean of students and vice president for Student Development at Wittenberg University, recently announced that Joi Garrett Scales, current associate director of career operations and student employment, will now serve as the assistant dean for diversity, inclusion and belonging, and as director of the William A. McClain Center for Diversity, effective immediately.

“Joi has been invaluable in supporting students in their growth and development and has a long history of success in student affairs,” Gill said. “Having experience at the University of Dayton, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Cincinnati, and the College of Wooster, she has a tremendous skillset that is poised to enhance the student experience with a specific focus on the support, retention, and graduation of students designated as under-represented at Wittenberg University. I look forward to having Joi’s dedication and perspective leading diversity, inclusion, and belonging efforts in the Division of Student Development.”

Scales has served Wittenberg since 2020 in the Office of Career Engagement and Professional Development. She will have a stepped transition beginning today (June 1) to her new role as she continues to be a resource for student employment until positions in the Office of Career Engagement and Professional Development are filled.

“I am really excited to take on this new role,” Scales said. “My goals for the position, and the McClain Center as a whole, are to create a home away from home for students; to be a place and people that students can come to consistently to find belonging, familiarity, trust, resources, and guidance. I also envision the McClain Center to be a place where students can experience meaningful peer-to-peer and advising interactions, explore and be exposed to cultural activities and education, and establish connections with their peers, alumni, and the community.”

Scales went on to say that accepting this role in the McClain Center is an homage to Wittenberg's motto of "Having Light, We Pass It On To Others."

“My entrance into the small liberal arts campus where I went to college as a first-generation student of color is similar to the experiences some students at Wittenberg face,” she said. “I can honestly say that my college experience was successful because I had a director of multicultural affairs who expressed a vested interest in my success. That sometimes meant hard, but caring conversations and her being a consistent and established presence for me and other students. I can now ‘pay it forward’ and ‘pass my light’ so that students can have a success story as well. Additionally, my role in student affairs began in supporting underrepresented groups, so, in some ways, this is a return to a ‘first love’ in my career journey.”

Scales holds a B.A. from Denison University and a Master of Education from the University of Cincinnati. She is also a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.

Scales will work closely with Brianna Langs, associate director of diversity, inclusion, and belonging forthe William A. McClain Center for Diversity. Like Scales, Langs brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and passion for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion to the center and will play a pivotal role in guiding the center's diversity and inclusion initiatives, collaborating with various stakeholders, and implementing strategies to ensure that Wittenberg is welcoming and inclusive to all members of the community.