Fostering Inclusivity Through Art

Student Senate DEI Committee aspires to keep the message of the Burroughs Student Lounge fresh

Story by Ryan McDaniel | Photo by Jafar Fallahi | Published February 20, 2024

Friends and family held up phones, recording the moment that Terrence Burroughs, BSPhar ’82, cut the ribbon at the dedication of the Terrence and Terri Burroughs Student Lounge. A cheer of jubilation went up from the crowd, and dozens of attendees filed into the newly-dedicated space on the second floor of Beard Hall.

Before the gathered crowd, Terrence recalled his experience in pharmacy school of wanting to attend the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) national convention, but lacking the funds to travel to it. Terrence brought the matter to Dean Tom Miya, who found funding to ensure he could attend. This simple act of advocacy is part of what inspired Terrence and his wife, Terri, to establish an endowed fund at the School to provide travel awards for SNPhA students. The two also gave back to create the student lounge, as a means to support the School’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan.

“Our hope is that the student lounge will be a gathering space for exchanging diverse perspectives and creating connections,” Terrence says.

Part of the work to create an inclusive space was to bring together a collection of artwork with the theme “Belonging” to adorn the walls of the lounge. Thanks to donations of artwork from the entire Carolina Pharmacy community, the walls of the space hold an eclectic collection of pieces; two pieces of poetry, a painting of the Outer Banks, a wood carving of the mountains, a photo-mosaic of the Old Well made up of photos of the campus community, even the Pharmacy Alumni Association logo that went to space with the 1985 Challenger mission.

The intent is to refresh the artwork in the Burroughs Lounge periodically – keeping it as a living space that reflects on, but also challenges and broadens perspectives on inclusivity within health care and the School. The Student Senate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee Co-Chairs, Preetish Patil and Dahye Kim, have begun soliciting submissions of artwork for the lounge’s next refresh this spring.

“As the landscape of our community evolves, certain facets of DEI emerge as increasingly pertinent to the current dynamics of our school,” says Dahye. “It is in this spirit of adaptability and inclusivity that we aim to infuse our space with the essence of these evolving principles, where students gather to learn, converse, and find solace.”

The DEI Committee’s chosen theme for this refresh is ‘Intersectionality – exploring how individuals’ multifaceted social and political identities intersect, shaping both experiences of discrimination and privilege.’ The committee is seeking modern/abstract art submissions fitting this theme to be part of the next installation in the Burroughs Lounge.

The Committee invites all members of the Carolina Pharmacy community to submit their artwork to be considered for installation in the space. If you are interested, reach out to Preetish Patil at preetish_patil@unc.edu with a picture of your artwork and a brief on how it fits the theme of Intersectionality. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, March 17th. The committee will assess each submission for creativity, technique, and its relation to the theme and will notify those who submit no later than the end of April if their piece has been selected.

The ultimate hope is that pieces inspire conversation and introspection that is taken along with those who visit the lounge. Dahye explains, “Through collective engagement and reflection, we seek to enrich our understanding and champion a culture of belonging that extends far beyond the boundaries of our physical space.”