Anece McCloud recalls her journey at UNMC and beyond

Anece McCloud, author, academic and UNMC’s first minority student affairs officer, returned to campus on Sept. 15 to speak about her journey at UNMC and beyond.  

McCloud, who also served as the first Black, female administrator at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, spoke on her experiences with racism, sexism and colorism growing up in the South. She shared the personal and academic experiences that inspired her to write her first memoir, “Seeking Personal Validation: The Life and Times of an African American, Female, Academic.”

The UNMC Alumni Association, McGoogan Health Sciences Library, African American/Black Alliance and the UNMC Office of Inclusion co-sponsored McCloud’s appearance.

See the recording of the speaking event.

A career in academia and time outside of her small town helped her gain perspective and solidify her own self-worth, she said.

McCloud also discussed her work at UNMC, developing programs and recruiting students of color, as well as others who had previously been underrepresented in the medical professions. Her pioneering work in these areas had a lasting effect on her and UNMC.

“I hoped it would benefit those who may not feel worthy,” McCloud said of her work at UNMC.

The campuswide office would go on to create successful programs and activities for students of color, including personally helping to recruit UNMC dermatologist and diversity officer Kristie Hayes, MD.

Sixty-five faculty and staff attended speaking event. The UNMC Office of Inclusion and Alumni Office also sponsored a dinner and luncheon in her honor. 

Bob Bartee, UNMC vice chancellor for external relations, attended the event via zoom and lauded McCloud on her impact and legacy at UNMC. 

“The impact you had on many young professionals working at UNMC at the time lives on in many ways,” he said. “You showed that commitment, creativity, hard work and patience could move the needle in recruitment of diverse students. You modeled that humanism, valuing others, vision and hard work were important in developing our careers, in changing old ways and in creating new ways for us to tackle what seemed to be intractable issues.

“I always felt that when Anece left our UNMC community, a little piece of our soul was chipped away,” Bartee said.

For the latest speaking engagements and events by the Office of Inclusion, the McGoogan Library or AABA go to UNMC’s Engage or UNMC Today’s calendar pages.