Special Emphasis Program reestablished

  • Published
  • Equal Opportunity office
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  The Equal Opportunity office recently reignited the Special Emphasis Program. The SEP is a management program introduced in 1969 by President Richard Nixon under Executive Order 11478.

The focus of SEP is to implement creative approaches to recruitment, employment, placement and training in those groups who are less represented, based on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Through these efforts, it is the goal of the Special Emphasis Program Managers to support employment and career advancement for the special emphasis groups. To accomplish these efforts, SEPMs will focus on creating special events to educate and provide an analysis of factors affecting recruitment and advancement.

SEPMs advise management on how to create a more diverse workforce and identify barriers to recruitment and advancement of underrepresented personnel. In addition, they provide assistance on employment and training.

The newly appointed SEPMs at Hanscom are Patricia Sabine as the new Native American SEP manager, Malcolm Roberts as the Black SEP manager and Andrea McKie as the Federal Women's Program manager.

Roberts said the reason he signed on as a SEPM is because he is an African American history buff. He enjoys reaching out to both the younger and older Airmen and is amazed with finding significant African-American contributions to our country.

"If you don't know where you came from, then how do you know where you are going," said Roberts. "Working together helps build a stronger America."

Currently, McKie is the installation Sexual Assault Response Coordinator but she is excited about taking on this new role as the Federal Women's Program manager.

"As the installation SARC, advocating for the integration of women in the federal system provides another platform to give women a voice," McKie said. "It is an opportunity to shift the culture from where it currently sits to a culture where the full inclusion of women is realized."

The Equal Opportunity office is seeking volunteers for the Asian, Hispanic and Disabilities Special Emphasis Programs.

For any questions concerning these programs, contact the Equal Opportunity office at 781-225-6397.