Supporting Connection Across Michigan Ross: Inside the Office of Community, Culture, and Belonging

At Michigan Ross, creating a strong sense of community takes more than good intentions. It takes thoughtful programming, meaningful partnerships, careful listening, and a lot of behind-the-scenes work. That is where the Office of Community, Culture, and Belonging comes in. The office helps ensure Ross is a place where faculty, staff, and students learn and work, and one where they feel connected, supported, and able to contribute.

“Our job is literally to care,” said Thomas Bell, director of the Office of Community, Culture, and Belonging. “The caring and support we provide help to foster a positive community.”

A small team with a broad reach

CCB operates under the direction of Carolyn Yoon, associate dean for Community and Global Initiatives, who leads the office’s core team of three, which includes Bell, Justine Shelton, assistant director, and Elizabeth LaFray, assistant director of the Inclusive Leaders Pathway. The team’s reach also extends through joint appointments with Sandhya Krishnan, director of advancement, who supports staff-focused community and culture efforts, and Katie Fredline, program manager of Empower & Thrive, an initiative for first-generation students at Ross. 

The CCB team’s work can look different depending on the need. On any given project, they may be designing programming, facilitating dialogue around complex community topics, advising colleagues, supporting student leaders, or connecting people across Ross who should be included in the same meeting, chat, or decision-making process.

Because the office’s work touches so many areas of the school, collaboration is central to how the team operates. CCB partners with degree program offices, faculty, student organizations, Ross Events, the Dean’s Office, and units across the university to support programs, respond to community needs, and create opportunities for people across Ross to connect.

That collaborative approach is clear in the office’s annual events, which bring the Ross community together throughout the year. These include the Native American Heritage Month Conference, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. annual Ross Event, Community and Culture Week, Community Conversations, Family Meal, Soup & Substance events, orientation programming for MBA programs, and the Access and Opportunity Awards.

For many of these programs, CCB’s role is both strategic and behind the scenes. The goal is for the events to reflect a broad range of voices and experiences, while also giving others across Ross opportunities to lead, share, and be heard.

“We’re scrappy,” Bell said. “Structurally, there are three full-time CCB team members. However, we find ways to engage with other folks throughout the school. The more people who get involved with the things that we do, the more people are going to show up and care.”

Behind the scenes, supporting teaching and culture

Two of the office’s major ongoing initiatives are the Inclusive Leaders Pathway and the You Belong Here campaign.

The Inclusive Leaders Pathway, led by LaFray, is a required part of the BBA experience, built into students’ existing coursework and learning experiences. ILP is integrated into courses through close collaboration with teaching faculty, faculty coordinators, curriculum support coordinators, program managers, and the Office of Undergraduate Programs.

LaFray is in regular contact with these partners to determine how ILP leadership skills and learning activities will be incorporated into courses, which can vary from year to year depending on faculty teaching teams, course structures, and program needs. In that way, ILP planning requires ongoing communication, planning, and adjustment.

The You Belong Here campaign involves substantial behind-the-scenes work. Created to build awareness of CCB’s role and strengthen its presence across Ross, the campaign includes identifying stories to share and partnering with individuals, identity- and interest-based groups, and student organizations. The campaign creates opportunities for faculty and staff to partner with the CCB office on events and activities that support its mission.

A team culture rooted in care

The team’s internal culture reflects the kind of community it works to foster across Ross: collaborative, caring, and with a strong sense of shared responsibility. 

Team meetings often include time to connect as people, not only as colleagues – whether that means sharing what is going well, talking through challenges, or doing creative team activities. In one recent meeting, the team used ChatGPT to generate superhero versions of themselves based on their interests and hobbies — a lighthearted activity that led to a deeper conversation about how they collaborate and succeed as a team. 

“When we come together for our meetings, it’s not just business,” said Shelton. “Thomn opens the door for us to be our authentic selves, exactly what we’re trying to do for others.”

The team emphasizes that its work is rooted in partnership and is focused on helping the Ross community grow stronger together. Faculty and staff are always welcome to attend the office’s events — which are advertised in their monthly newsletter — as well as to bring forward ideas and collaborate with the team on efforts that support belonging, empathy, and connection across Ross.

“We’re open to trying new things,” Bell said. “We’re not afraid to try something different, because that’s where innovation happens.”