Black Lives Matter versus white supremacy, immigration and Latinix stereotypes, memorials to controversial figures, even the military all have become top media stories in recent times.
Among the roles of a university is global learning. Developing critical thinking skills includes the ability and willingness to view life from all perspectives.
This fall, the Division of Diversity and Inclusion at Minnesota State Mankato again offers its Maverick Diversity Institute with a timely series of topics.
Six virtual programs are planned this semester from September 23 to November 12. Participants can earn their “Diversity Passport” by attending four sessions during the academic year.
Megan Heutmaker, director of American Indian Affairs with the University’s Multicultural Center explains the series and its objectives.
MEGAN HEUTMAKER: “The topics all focus on diversity, access, equity and being inclusive in our workplace and classroom environments. If you attend four events out of the selected programs that we offer for this year, you can fill out your passport. And then once you fill out your passport you can bring that in to receive a certificate of completion that can be used as part of your resume, professional development, anything like that, to just showcase that you’ve done some learning in the world of diversity and inclusion.
“These are our fall sessions that we have for this term:
“So we’re going to learn about SNAP (Sept. 23), which is some benefits for, you know, students that might need some additional assistance.
“We’re also piggybacking with the Director of the Women’s Center, Liz Steinborn-Gourley, and she has a whole series called, Getting It White (Oct. 1), and so we are going to work with her on Systematic Complicity webinar as well.
“Then we have Dr. Jameel Haque talking about the Renaming of Sibley Park (Oct. 15) which is an effort that he is kind of moving forward.
“Then, we have Diversity in the Military (Oct. 21) from Tim Adams. He’s the student success coordinator there.
“And then the Impact of Racial Perception and Stereotypes on Latinx in the U.S. (Nov. 4), which I think is pretty powerful given our current political situations. That should be a very interesting one.
“Then places and Spaces: How Campuses Can Help or Hurt Welcomeness (Nov. 12).
“It’s kind of a whole variety of topics this this term and so we’re excited to offer all of those for both students, faculty and staff to participate in. So anyone is welcome to come and attend work on achieving that passport and then we will give you a certificate of completion at the end of your attendance in those sessions.
“The whole purpose that we’re here as an institution is to provide education, right? And education about diversity, about inclusion, about, you know, some of the topics that we talked about or that are going to be presented on later this term, all of those things surround and emphasize how important it is to educate yourself about what’s going on–about how others might feel about various perspective. Which makes you a good, well-rounded, contributing citizen in whatever world you’re going to go out and work in in the long run as well.
“And so whether that’s here on campus as a faculty or staff member, whether or that’s a student going out into the world getting a job, all of those things you’re gonna, you’re not going to work with people that look just like you and that have the exact same experiences you no matter who you are and what you look like.
“So it’s important to really be aware of what is going on and it’s important to take that education on yourself.”
Those unable to attend scheduled times may still view recorded versions of the sessions.
MEGAN HEUTMAKER: “A good thing, too, is that we’re gonna record all of them so they’ll still be available after they after they occur on our website.”
