Center for Student Diversity Director Dr. Keiwana Perryman Amplifies Student Voices Through Storytelling

By: Ian Lathrop

The Center for Student Diversity’s (CSD) mission, as expressed by its director, Dr. Keiwana Perryman, is to “provide advocacy, support, and inclusive spaces where students can affirm their intersecting identities, build community, and expand their worldview.” She shared that they achieve this “through educational programming, cultural excursions, and shared experiences- often centered around food and storytelling.”

Storytelling is essential to both Dr. Perryman and her office, the office’s main focus for the academic year. “At a time when many voices are being overlooked, we are committed to amplifying, celebrating, and preserving our students’ individual and collective stories.” She went on to explain that “[their] goal is for students to find a community that celebrates who they are, challenges them to grow, and prepares them to thrive beyond campus.” 

I recently had the chance to speak with Keiwana Perryman, D. Ed., the current director of CSD and a proud Cleveland native who has tirelessly worked to shape student experiences in higher education. She deeply understands and recognizes the transformative power of education, being a first-generation student and three-time degree holder herself, earning her B.S. from The Ohio State University, her M.Ed. from Cleveland State University, and her D.Ed. from Penn State University.

In a career spanning nearly 20 years, she has worked in a variety of different capacities for fraternity and sorority life, student government, new student orientation, and homecoming, all connected to a deep commitment to building community. Off campus, she is a wife, mother of two, and someone who grounds her life in “resilience, empathy, and the belief that every student deserves to thrive in spaces that see, hear, and value them.”

Programs Rooted in Community

The CSD is excited to continue existing programs and introduce new ones. In her office’s Stories on a Plate program, they use food as a centerpiece for dialogue, “reminding us that sharing meals connects us all.” 

They also offer the Mosaic celebration, reimagining graduation recognition, “as a collective celebration of our students’ achievements in one shared space.”

A highlight of Dr. Perryman’s five-year career at Towson has been the office’s Human

Library Program. Returning for its 15^th year at TU, the program “invites participants to ‘check out ' a human book and engage in conversation, breaking down stereotypes and building understanding across differences.” 

She encourages all students, faculty, and staff to participate, “sharing their story as a book or learning something new by taking a book off the library ‘shelf’ and engaging in conversation. Through these programs, as well as new and upcoming collaborative programming opportunities, Dr. Perryman and her office work to create spaces where folks of all identities can engage in spaces together.

A Commitment to Belonging

As part of the larger Office of Inclusion and Institutional Equity, the CSD serves as the programming arm, advancing the University’s priority of “Raising the Bar for Belonging.” In addition, her office focuses on “mentoring initiatives, often by engaging alumni to share their experiences and facilitate workshops to support students’ success both inside and outside of the classroom.”

Within the office, Dr. Perryman shared that she is excited to welcome a new team member who will focus on “advocacy, student support, and cultural programming,” in a role “dedicated to fostering belonging, amplifying student voices, and creating meaningful opportunities for engagement that strengthen community and enrich student experience.” By bringing on this new team member, she hoped to allow herself the space to focus on “large-scale CSD programming and strategic partnerships across campus.”

Supporting All Students

I also took some time to ask Dr. Perryman about issues facing our campus, and the wider community that fell under her office’s scope— particularly those that affect minority students. When asked about the controversy surrounding Homeland Security Investigations (ICE) and the apparent lack of accountability and transparency regarding the agency's scheduled participation in last month’s career fair, Dr. Perryman explained her office’s commitment to the student body.

She affirmed that the “CSD remains committed to supporting all students by offering resources, advocacy, and spaces for connection,” going on to say that her office is “intentional about creating environments where students can build coalitions, find rest, and celebrate joy while engaging in meaningful dialogue and action.”

On the CSD webpage, her office states that “TU is committed to its undocumented, immigrant and DACA students and has dedicated itself to ensuring all members of the TU community can thrive and achieve their potential.” 

Dr. Perryman reaffirmed these commitments, indicating her office’s desire and commitment to “[ensure] that students feel connected to a community and the institution during their time on campus and beyond.” She also shared that they have rebranded initiatives created for undocumented, immigrant, and DACA populations under the new RISE Program—Resilient Immigrant Students for Empowerment.

“RISE is designed to support students from undocumented or mixed status

backgrounds who are navigating higher education with courage and resilience,” with the aim, “to uplift students by providing confidential guidance, access to resources, and a sense of community that fosters their success at Towson University.” 

The rebrand and shift in language help her office better support these students by “[using] strengths-based empowering language,” “[protecting] students’ identities,” and “[encouraging] broader participation in programs and services.” RISE allows students to access “confidential support in navigating campus resources,” and “a safe, affirming space for community and connection.” 

She reiterates this point, emphasizing that “a student’s status will never be asked for or shared,” and “all referrals and participation in RISE will remain confidential and rooted in care, not documentation.”

“The Part of the Administration That Truly Listens”

She characterizes CSD as “the part of the administration that truly listens.” They affirm student experiences and help them get the resources they need and deserve, encouraging students to “be specific when naming concerns so [they] can collaborate towards solutions.”

They also encourage breaking down barriers and boundaries to collaboration across opinion, ideology, identity, and affiliation, pushing students to “engage across differences” while providing spaces, “for students to connect, learn, and organize…[inviting] them to take full advantage,” of the opportunities the CSD offers.

We greatly appreciate all the work that Dr. Perryman and her office do for the greater TU community, and we look forward to seeing the continuing mark she will leave and creating spaces for connection and belonging on and off our campus.