For Terrian Garvis, recently winning the ACPA-College Student Educators International's Annuit Coeptis Emerging Professional Award is just one more example of supporting others in any way he can.
The honor recognizes professional excellence and outstanding service to the organization, which Garvis continues to contribute to ACPA and to SUNY Oswego. The ceremony took place at the organization’s annual meeting earlier this year in Long Beach, California.
“The award has a long history and many winners have gone on to become leaders across higher education,” said Garvis, the interim associate director of Oswego’s Triandiflou Institute for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Transformative Practice. “I appreciate the plethora of skills and backgrounds that they look at in determining the awards.”
Garvis has been active with ACPA for more than five years in many ways. He has held a volunteer position for the Graduate Students and New Professionals Community of Practice, which involved coordinating various professional development activities, has participated in a few preconference offerings for Black professionals and serves on the Coalition on Men & Masculinities.
“Currently, I’m a committee member for their public policy and government affairs task force, which is part of their upper-level governance structure,” Garvis said.
Garvis started with SUNY Oswego in 2022 as an unexpected byproduct of reaching out to Rodmon King, who was then Oswego’s chief diversity and inclusion officer. Garvis worked at SUNY Brockport at the time and wanted to learn more about how to navigate institutions and the SUNY system.
“I think it’s an example of why you should develop relationships and network,” Garvis said. “If not for him, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity.”
Making a positive impact
Garvis said his day-to-day activities vary greatly, but most appreciates his many student interactions and opportunities to make a positive impact.
“I speak with students, whether my interns or ones I’ve had in classes, about how to navigate classes and sometimes their relationships,” Garvis said. “It’s good that I help them talk about everything from developing friendships on campus to developing professional relationships for those who are about to graduate.”
Garvis’ role also involves teaching some classes. In the fall, he teaches two sections of the general studies (GST) class for first-year Educational Opportunity Program students. In the spring, he is teaching EDU 301: “School Pedagogies and Social Justice,” helping education majors learn about aspects of social justice teaching and navigating institutional structures.
This course really helps students grow through discussions and interactions, as well as by asking each one to teach at least one class session.
“I enjoy the class and even find myself learning in it,” Garvis said. “It’s instrumental for education majors as they move forward.”
Garvis appreciates the opportunity to serve as a bridge between what the Triandiflou Institute can offer and those who benefit from working together or learning from one another. He welcomes opportunities to let people know about professional development opportunities they might not have been aware of otherwise.
Garvis does a lot of work with Lillian Evans, the director of the Triandiflou Institute, on dialogue processes, sets up workshops and helps interns develop and gain guidance and confidence on a number of key projects.
“I like that I regularly work with students, but staff and faculty as well,” Garvis noted. “I do enjoy that there is so much variety in my job.”