Creating a Sense of Belonging
March 25, 2021
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Meet Shana Hilliard, CSC’s new leader of Diversity and Belonging
By Jeff Lyons, CSC senior copywriter and PR manager
Shana Hilliard is still relatively new to the job as CSC’s leader of Diversity and Belonging, but she’s already thinking about its legacy.
“My goal is to create a program that lives long beyond all of us here today. By 2025, we want to ensure that everyone at CSC feels that sense of belonging within a diverse environment,” she says.
CSC has long been a proponent of diversity and belonging, and in 2020 decided to hire someone full time to run its Diversity and Belonging program. The program focuses on five pillars:
Identifying and hiring more diversified talent
Increasing diversity in leadership at all levels
Connecting with each other and celebrating our achievements
Implementing inclusivity programs
Expanding diversity engagement and commitment within our communities
Committed to making positive change and bringing their vision of an ever-inclusive environment to life, CSC has been excited to have Shana step into that role. Shana started her career at CSC in 2011 as a marketing researcher. A Black woman and a masculine-presenting lesbian, she aspires to show others who look like her that hetero norm and white spaces aren’t the only spaces anymore. “Women, minorities, and people of color are untapped, and we deserve opportunities to succeed and to lead,” says Shana, who prefers she-her pronouns.
Shana Hilliard
Shana likens belonging and inclusion to an invitation to a fancy ball. “The belonging piece is the invitation to the ball. Being asked to dance is the inclusivity part, and most people stop right there. They think, ‘Oh, I got invited to the dance and somebody asked me to dance while I was there.’”
But other components are just as important to having a successful ball: the planning, decorations, and music. “When everybody feels included in creating the event, it makes for a better time and a better event. In the same way, including everyone makes for a better workplace and a better work experience,” Shana says.
To expand sources and hiring for diverse talent, Shana says CSC will increase local engagement through the company’s developing Community Ambassador Program. “We’ll support and leverage professional groups to expand our reach to untapped talent and also increase our engagement in volunteer hours as part of #CSCGivesBack. Our connection and celebration sector will continue to grow as we honor our diverse heritages and share our stories,” Shana says. “Finally, we’ll continue to live our values, take action to increase awareness, and show an appreciation of our differences.”
The Diversity and Belonging program is working on a mentorship and coaching program featuring senior leaders and creating culturally inclusive employee resource groups. Shana is well aware of the importance of mentorship and credits her mentor at CSC for helping her with the trajectory of her career growth and personal growth. “At CSC, we care about our people and focus on professional career development and organizational growth,” she says.
If you’re looking for a place where you can give back to the community, where you can own your career and bring your visions to life, where you’re included and will feel a sense of belonging, CSC is the place for you.
Interested in a workplace that’ll help you reach your professional goals without compromising who you are? At CSC, we’re building a space of inclusion and appreciation for our greatest asset—our people. Find out what makes us different. Visit and learn more at cscglobal.com/careers.