Building Belonging Together

Greetings and Happy 2026-2027 Academic Year! As I begin my journey as PSU’s Executive Director for DEI, I am laser-focused on providing leadership that helps to ensure belonging, inclusion, and success for all members of the PSU community.

At the top of my list of goals for the academic year is to get in front of as many PSU community members as possible. The promise of full days that include meeting with students, staff, and faculty to hear your stories is exciting to me.

I also recognize the importance of learning about the institution. I was drawn to PSU’s access institution mission. PSU truly does serve the city, educating the state’s most diverse group of students and engaging in innovative and essential research and teaching.

In a nutshell, my work will support these institutional strategic imperatives: 

• Creating clear pathways for our region's learners to achieve their educational goals and provide a strong return on investment; 
• Leading the Pacific Northwest in serving minoritized students and boosting the college success rate;
• Supporting and empowering our employees and operations; and
• Driving Portland’s economic, social, and cultural resurgence.  

Over the next few months there will be several opportunities for me to make connections with all of you. Be on the lookout for events that include the following: 

• Town Halls to share data and next steps for the 2025 all-campus Climate Survey; 
• Listening Sessions that will provide an opportunity for PSU community members to share their thoughts, understandings, and ideas with me and others I am working closely with; and 
• Focus Groups that will occur in the early months of 2027 and supplement the 2025 Climate Survey data.

Also, I’d love to visit your class, student club meeting, resource space, staff meeting, and leadership gathering. Please connect with me at smithbru@pdx.edu and I’ll be there.

And if you see me strolling across campus, please stop me and say hello.