The SMT Committee on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) seeks to promote diversity—of race, of culture, of values, and of points of view—within the Society.
Mission Statement
The SMT Committee on Race and Ethnicity seeks to promote diversity--of race, of culture, of values, and of points of view--within the Society, detailed in its Statement of Purpose (pdf). To this end, the Committee is involved with issues and pursuits in order to:
- offer a venue for the voicing of concerns about diversity by SMT members, and bring such concerns to the attention of the Executive Board, or the Society as a whole, as the Committee deems appropriate;
- develop means of offering support, in the form of mentoring, arranging relevant colloquia and other events at national meetings, and so forth, to diverse members of the Society;
- work with the Committee on Diversity of the American Musicological Society and other scholarly societies in providing program sessions and informal forums at national meetings, encouraging participation in regional societies, and seeking grant support for common initiatives;
- offer funding for conference attendance through the SMT Many Voices Travel Grant and the SMT International Travel Grant.
Report on the demographics of the Society (prepared by the Ad Hoc Committee on Demographics)
Mentorship Program
We are currently seeking participants for the Committee on Race and Ethnicity’s (CoRE) mentorship program, which is open to all SMT members regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, career stage, or academic background. We especially encourage students and junior scholars to apply. Mentees can receive guidance from senior scholars on career and professional development. Co-chairs will pair mentees and mentors based on professional background, research interests, identity, or other information from a brief form. The mentorship lasts one year, focusing on professional and intellectual growth. Mentees are encouraged to set goals and share them with their mentors early on. After one year, insights may be shared with the committee, and we hope mentor–mentee connections continue.
To express your interest in participating, please fill out the form appropriate to your intended role (mentee or mentor). We cannot guarantee that all those who express interest will be successfully paired for mentorship as we cannot estimate participation for this reestablishment of the program.
Testimonials
“I was a mentee in this program in 2020, and I cannot overstate how beneficial this was for my academic and personal development. My mentor offered many perspectives that were underrepresented in my graduate program, and helped significantly in making me feel more at home in the field. I’m excited to be able to support other folks, and especially other junior scholars, in similar ways.” (Jeremy Tatar, Carleton College)
“I participated in the CoRE mentoring program twice during my pre-tenure years. Both mentors offered invaluable guidance that greatly helped me navigate the early stages of my career, particularly the tenure process and publication. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with caring and supportive mentors outside my home institution.” (Ji Yeon Lee, University of Houston)
“The CoRE mentoring program was just what I needed, just when I needed it most. It can be intimidating to navigate the field as junior scholar when you don't know exactly what the rules are. I highly recommend this program to anyone who feels like an "outsider" or who doesn't yet feel comfortable in this community. My mentor made me feel like I had someone on my side, someone I could go to with candid questions I wouldn't have known how to answer otherwise. Sometimes it was advice on how to handle reviewer feedback on an article submission, sometimes it was advice on a conference proposal, and sometimes it was simply advice on deciphering the unspoken rules of how things work in this field. I am immensely grateful for what this program did for me.” (anonymous past mentee)