Introducing the New VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Ronnie Price had never stepped foot in New Hampshire before coming to campus for his interview. He remembers people in Atlanta telling him that it was going to be cold. “I will probably always remember that day because I was in a regular suit,” Price said. “I drove up from Manchester Airport and thought, ‘This is going to be fine.’ It was really cold! My face was rosy-red, and I remember seeing snow — and the wind tunnel was activated!” But the cold weather and sight of snow did not scare off Price. He fell in love with the campus, school history and people and knew he wanted to come here when the opportunity was presented to him.
Price, who grew up in Norton, Va., is the 12th of 13 children. All of his brothers and one of his sisters went into coal mining. Price decided to take a different path and attended the University of Virginia at Wise to earn his bachelor’s degree in public affairs and the University of Virginia to complete a master’s degree in public affairs and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (ABD) in government and foreign affairs. Upon completion of an internship in the equal employment opportunity department at the university, Price was offered a recruiting job in the human resources department. Thus, his career in human resources began to take shape.
Since then, Price has gained experience in human resources as well as diversity, equity and inclusion over the years, and he comes to Colby-Sawyer with a wealth of knowledge. He is excited to put his ideas and plans into action as soon as possible. Some of his most immediate projects include getting all employees on board with the name pronunciation tool, Name Coach, updating the DEI website, creating a DEI strategic plan and framework and holding workshops regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.
In his spare time, Price is enjoying his summer in New Hampshire by mountain biking and taking photos, and he plans to get a kayak soon. The thought of the upcoming winter does not worry Price at all. In the colder months, he looks forward to reading more books, building models and staying cozy. And he is prepared to stay on campus if the weather is too harsh to drive home. He plans on attending a lot of student activities, so he will keep a wardrobe of clothing here in case he decides to stay on campus rather than drive home in a snowstorm. Price joked, “If I can survive the winter, I’m a keeper!”
As Price enters his third month on campus, he is excited to meet the new students and get started with some new programs. “I am looking forward to the students coming back,” he said. “I look forward to working with them. I want to work with students for four years and really have a hand in making things better for them. Through this role, I’ll really be able to engage them.”
We look forward to getting to know you better and working with you on future projects, Ron!