Dean of Students, Diversity, & Inclusion at Renaissance School, Welford “Mack” Mclellan Jr. tells us about his experience coming to Charlottesville and what brought him to his current role in education. A past speaker at our Envision Forum and guest on Envision Radio, Mack has also gotten involved in our work at United Way because of our shared mission to support local low-income communities and foster understanding and empathy around the diversity of families in our neighborhoods.
You are from Baltimore originally. What brought you to the Charlottesville area?
Three years after earning my master’s degree in clinical social work at the University of Maryland, I was doing mindfulness work with high school students in Baltimore when the Contemplative Science Center at UVA reached out about an open position. I ended up taking the job. I moved here expecting to leave after my six- month contract was up—but here I am, seven years later.
What led you to the field of education?
My parents taught me about service at an early age. When I was growing up in Baltimore in the 1980s, people didn’t live in neighborhoods based on socioeconomic class. My best friend’s family was on government assistance. I had the opportunity to speak with my parents about the differences in what people had. My dad cooked regularly for my friends in the neighborhood and my mom made the Christmas Day soup for the soup kitchen over the holidays. They showed me that if you have the means to take care of people, you do it. My way of serving is through my work with children, their caretakers, and marginalized groups.
Could you tell us about your role at the Renaissance School?
The focus of my work is ensuring the mental health and well-being of our students. I want to empower them with skills and tools so they can take care of themselves when I’m not around. Part of that work is teaching them the value of service. The more we serve others and are a part of our community, the healthier we are mentally.
Why did you get involved with United Way?
United Way is improving the mental health of our community. By approaching low-income families and people of color with a service mindset and a diverse group of employees that reflects their lived experiences, United Way is making people feel seen, heard, and loved. When United Way supports me as an individual, it is supporting the communities that I serve—not just at the Renaissance School, but also through the reading events I organize and the animated films I produce for diverse youth to see themselves centered in storytelling. For that reason, it is impossible to fully understand the impact that you all are having. When United Way asks me to be a part of something, I already know the answer will be yes.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Sometimes use the word “mindfulness” to describe the work I do—but all too often, mindfulness is about individuals centering themselves for personal benefit. I prefer to use the Zulu word “simunye,” which means “we are one”. If we look at our community with “simunye” in mind, we can’t help but give to those who need us.