Will Scannell ’24
Contributing Writer
Last week, the College’s Title IX Coordinator Search Committee invited students, faculty, and staff to a virtual forum to meet and learn more about the two final candidates for the position of Assistant Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator. The final candidates are Sophia Brelvi and Kelly Yough, each with extensive backgrounds in student affairs and Title IX.
According to her résumé, Brelvi majored in political science and graduated cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She went on to graduate with a JD from the Michigan State University College of Law, where she received the Jurisprudence Reward for International Business Transactions. From 2015 to 2019, Sophia Brelvi was the Director of Compliance at Morehouse College, where she helped facilitate the process of reporting incidents of potential discrimination, harassment, and related inappropriate conduct. From May 2019 to present, Brelvi was the Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Dartmouth College where she was responsible for developing and conducting campus-wide training programs to educate students and staff on Title VI, Title IX, and other relevant legislation.
If Brelvi were to be appointed to the position at Trinity College, her main goals center around education on legal processes and ensuring that the voices of students from all backgrounds are heard. She expressed her desire to make Title IX “the most accessible we can of all the communities involved…more so for the disenfranchised and marginalized communities…”
Brelvi acknowledged the difficulty of having uncomfortable conversations among students, faculty, and staff. She stated that “Dartmouth has a very broad range of students. We have the highest percentage of indigenous students and we also have the highest percentage of one-percenters. So, noting that there is a huge dichotomy there and trying to bridge that gap has been a struggle since I’ve been there…But I feel like we’ve made good strides more recently because it’s really just chipping away at that block.” According to a study by the New York Times, Trinity College enrolls the highest share of students in the 1%, with 26% of the student body coming from the that category. Dartmouth is ranked at No. 11 in the study, with 21% of the student body coming from the 1%. Brelvi further stated during the forum that, “at the outset, it’s tough to make any sort of change.” She emphasized the importance of “being as transparent as possible…being that face and having those conversations.”
Kelly Yough is also a finalist for Assistant Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator. Yough attended Seton Hill University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Mount Saint Mary College, where she received her BA in marketing management, MA in student affairs in higher education, and her MBA, respectively. Yough has extensive experience working in the world of student affairs and Title IX. According to her résumé, as Dean of Student Affairs at Mount Saint Mary College from 2013 to 2018, Yough worked to ensure “compliance with NY Education Law 129-B, Title IX, Clergy Act, VAWA, and other relevant legislation.” Yough also co-managed the Department of Justice OVW three-year grant to reduce sexual misconduct on campus with the “oversight of a coordinated community response team.” In addition, Yough has held positions at other schools including Athletic Director and Fourth Grade Co-Teacher at Bishop Dunn School, Resident Director/Intramurals Coordinator at Chatham College, and other positions that involve student affairs.
While the Tripod was able to attend the forum for Brelvi, the Tripod was unable to obtain access to the virtual forum on Thursday, Sept. 24 for Yough. The Tripod has sent requests for the recording of the forum, which was not immedietly available.
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