The next Excellence Award for Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goes to Jessica Tam in the Office of the Vice President for Finance.
As the lead sourcing analyst for travel, hospitality, and catering, Jessica has gone to extraordinary lengths to support the community of small, local, and diverse caterers that serve MIT—and to expand their opportunities on campus.
Jessica’s research led her to Commonwealth Kitchen, a local food-industry incubator for minority-owned businesses. She then invited more than 30 caterers to participate in the competitive sourcing process—more than 20 of which were new to MIT, and had diverse ownership.
As one colleague wrote, “While it often takes a village to create a positive and inclusive environment, Jessica has shown that sometimes all it takes is a single villager to challenge the status quo and advocate for change.”
Jessica’s work fosters inclusivity, contributes to the growth and success of our local economy, and brings new, diverse culinary options to our very global community.