Who we are: The Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies (SWCHRS) is a department within the University of Oklahoma Outreach / College of Continuing Education. Launched in 1961, SWCHRS is devoted to the study, understanding, and resolution of human conflict and to promoting understanding and cooperation among people of different racial, ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds.

What we do: Several SWCHRS programs assist us in achieving our mission, including:

• NCORE (National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education) - May 28th through June 1st, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii
• NCORE. Connections - November 1-3, Virtual
• NCORE. Webinars - Monthly- alternating paid and unpaid sessions
• Reels on Human Relations (Student filmmaker festival focused on human relations and social justice)
  • October – data TBA—JCSCORE (Journal Committed to Social Change on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education)
  • Quarterly publication explores and examines interaction from inter-disciplinary perspectives and reports on the status, needs, and direction of human relations studies affected by race, ethnicity, and sovereignty in higher education policy practice and theory.
• Technical Assistance, Technical Assistance Consultation, and Training (TACT) - Project-based or ongoing support to public, private, and non-profit partnerships focused on advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and belonging

Who we serve: SWCHRS program participants come from two-year, four-year, and comprehensive higher education institutions across the United States, sovereign nations, and the US territories and include:

• Senior administrative officers at both campus and system levels
• Academic affairs administrators, deans, department chairs, and teaching faculty
• Professionals in virtually all campus activity/service areas, including admissions, student life, financial aid, personnel, public safety, alumni affairs, and athletics
• Representatives of State and national institutes, associations, agencies, commissions, and foundations
• Student leaders and student scholars
• Representatives of community-based agencies and organizations

In addition, non-profit, government, and private sector employees also attend SWCHRS Programs.

Outcomes 

SWCHRS programs result in the following:

• The creation or revision of policies, plans, curriculum, and pedagogy.
• New research is launched, assessments and training are offered, and new theoretical perspectives are introduced.
• Faculty and staff leave with content and strategies to foster inclusive learning communities.
• Student affairs professionals implement new strategies and programs for inclusion.

 

We are so excited to announce Dr. Ajia Meux as SWCHRS/NCORE's new Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Projects! Ajia returns to SWCHRS/NCORE after two years in OU Advancement/Foundation, where she supported the operations and execution of the LEAD ON Campaign, OU’s $2B fundraising campaign.  Ajia received her Ph.D. in Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma in May 2024. Her research philosophy informs an agenda that focuses on both pro-social and critical analyses of Black representation—that is, how the lives of Black people are made better and worse through media and communication. With that philosophy in mind, her research focuses on the relationship between communication, culture, identity, and power in corporate philanthropy, activist, and visual representation contexts. Before transitioning into communications, Ajia worked as a social worker clinician in the Washington, DC, area and with the Department of Defense, focusing on sexual, domestic, and combat trauma. Her commitment to racial and social justice is primarily influenced by her work as a social worker, as she recognizes the inherent dignity and worth of human beings and their contributions to the world.  Aside from her Ph.D., Ajia holds an.MA from the University of Oklahoma (2018), MSW from Howard University (2005), and a BS from California State University, Fresno (2001). She is originally from Oakland, CA. Please help us welcome Ajia to her new role!

We are ALSO excited to announce  Dedrick Perkins as SWCHRS/NCORE's new Senior Program Coordinator. Dedrick is returning to the Center after interning in 2020. He graduated from the Zarrow School of Social Work at the University of Oklahoma with a master's degree in May 2020. He received a bachelor's degree in Social Work in May 2019. He was awarded the 2020 NASW-OK MSW Student of the Year. He is the 2019 and 2020 Anne & Henry Zarrow Service Award recipient for his commitment to Social Justice through service. He is also the recipient of the Anne & Henry Zarrow School of Social Work Scholarship and Will Rogers Social Work Scholarship.

As the Undergraduate Co-President of the Social Work Student Association, he organized social justice events such as the 2018 #BelieveSurvivors Walkout and Social Work Student discussions of race on campus. He is involved in social justice initiatives in Oklahoma City, such as #Black Lives Matter, Justice for Julius, and as a volunteer at the YWCA-OKC. He has presented at several regional and national conferences. Dedrick is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and along with his appointment at SWCHRS/NCORE, he is also an adjunct instructor in the Zarrow School of Social Work at OU. Please help us welcome Dedrick back to SWCHRS/NCORE in his new role!