Sarah Patterson of Malboro helped organize conference at URI focused on diversity

2015 May 29

The first student-created and led regional conference took place at the University of Rhode Island in the spring. Called "Diversifying Individuals Via Education" (D.I.V.E. RI), this event focused on enhancing student leadership and social change on college campuses.

Organized by the group of multicultural student leaders known as MUSIC (Multicultural Unity and Student Involvement Council), D.I.V.E. RI was a proactive event focused on race and ethnicity in higher education. Students marketed the event with tremendous success using social media, flyers, and direct contact with other regionals schools. More than 250 students from URI, Rhode Island College, Johnson and Wales, as well as from colleges in Connecticut and Massachusetts attended this unique event.

URI student and MUSIC member Sarah Patterson of Malboro, N.J., helped create, organize and host the event, and was involved with the conference's Speakers & Presenters planning.

With 22 workshops, two days of events, and three keynote speakers, the conference goal was to raise awareness and to inspire student leaders to develop their action plans with greater cross-cultural competency.

"By starting student conversations, we hope to create and sustain connections between students from local colleges to promote cooperation and collaboration. We want to identify issues of institutional inequity and advocate for social change on different college campuses," said Luckson Omoaregba '15, a communication studies major, who served as president of MUSIC, the umbrella and representative council of the student groups affiliated with the University's Multicultural Center.

Naomi Thompson, associate vice president of Community, Equity & Diversity said: "Each year, the University hosts conferences and events to broaden the understanding and discussions on diversity with our faculty, staff and students. But this is the first time that a group of students has built an entire event to discuss issues amongst their peers at URI and other colleges in the region. We are very proud and supportive of this initiative."