DIVERSITY INSTITUTE MODULE DESCRIPTIONS
Back 2 Back and Face 2 Face
Stacy L. Davidson
Assistant Director of Student Life for Multicultural Affairs
Christopher Newport University
After this high energy, interactive teambuilding kick off to the Diversity Institute, you will be ready to meet the challenge before you. You will have an opportunity to learn more about yourself and your fellow participants as diverse, cultural beings. Come prepared for self reflection, open dialogue and meaningful, cultural interactions.
Whose circle is it anyway?
Elizabeth and Joe Lacroix
Quality of WorkLife Consultants
A mixture of vital ingredients that make us who we are is simplified in this straightforward and fast-paced presentation. The minutes will speed by with a special hilarious learning game designed to get you into the spirit of discovery quickly. You’ll learn about your own work style preferences and be able to understand your colleagues better than ever before. A brief lecturette, blended with table exercises, and audience interaction has been life changing for many. One thing is certain; you’ll be talking in colors for the rest of your life.
Understanding Cultures: Your Own and Others
Dr. Melvina T. Sumter
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
Old Dominion University
This module is designed to provide students with a deeper cultural understanding as to why people from various cultures and subcultures think and act as they do. In doing so, we will discuss the key concepts of what culture is, how we learn about cultures, and how cultures differ. Participation in this module will equip students with insight to help them maintain their balance and poise should a culture clash occur as well as on how to deal effectively with others who come from different cultures.
Movin’ on Up or Fear of Falling? Class and Social Mobility in the U.S.
Dr. Mona J.E. Danner
Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice
Old Dominion University
The classism modules are designed to increase our understanding of class through a series of activities guaranteed to be fun. The game of Monopoly allows us to explore the class structure in the U.S.
Class Markers: Food, Fashion and Fun: In this second classism module we will explore the benefits and liabilities, privileges and oppressions of class. A series of exercises will help uncover class markers and the ways that social class is revealed in everyday attitudes and practices.
Interfaith Understanding
Dr. Janet M. Kanter
Research Fellow, Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding
Old Dominion University
The Diversity Institute’s module for Interfaith Understanding presents a structure through which people from varying religious backgrounds can relate to one another. In our current political climate interfaith understanding is more important than ever before in history. Students are encouraged to challenge their limited perceptions of religions through understanding common spiritual human needs that each religion addresses from their own unique cultural and historic perspective.
A Foundational Legacy for Leading Change: Understanding the Historicism of White Privilege in America
Dr. Gwen Lee-Thomas
Assistant Professor, Darden College of Education
Old Dominion University
This workshop explores the historical elements of law, policy, and economic development strategies that shaped the thinking of what is now recognized as White Privilege. As part of the experience, participants will explore their dispositions in life regarding race, discuss the implications, and identify “ally” strategies for those who do not posses privilege.
Generational Diversity
John L. Johnson
Executive Director of the Hampton Citizen’s Unity Commission
This module is designed to familiarize students with the typical traits, expectations and needs of the various generations that coexist in our communities and workplaces. Participants will understand the effect of generational values on communicating effectively and be able to effectively motivate, coach, inspire and develop relationships with people of the various generations.
Moving from “isms” to Understanding: Effective Multicultural Communication and Conflict Resolution
Michele Woods Jones
leAun Consulting Services
This is a two session module that uses the diversity within the group of students to introduce the concepts of multicultural communication and conflict resolution and to practice skills development and focuses on understanding the impact of diversity on effective communication, interpersonal and work relationship building and cross-cultural problem solving. Students are introduced to specific tools and skills in multicultural conflict analysis and conflict resolution that facilitate maintaining healthy cross-cultural and multicultural interactions.
Isms” – The Journey from Awareness to Becoming An Ally and Activist for Social Justice
Dr. Gwen Brown-Thorton
Assistant Professor of Social work
Christopher Newport University
This module will provide the opportunity for participants to collaborate and form mock coalitions for the purpose of developing a plan to ensure social justice on the basis of race, class, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age and other factors in one or more the following areas: healthcare and medicine, education, government assistance, employment and workforce issues, marriage and family life, access to resources, media, the law, immigration and any other areas that participants wish to include. Ultimately, participants will seek to answer: What would a just (fair) world be like, and what do we need to do to get there?
At the completion of this institute, participants will have gained the awareness and knowledge about the ever present “isms” and the injustices that affect the lives of those who are currently and historically, marginalized, exploited, disempowered, or violated based on their social group membership.
From the Culturally Smart Schools & Communities Series : Culturally Smart Universities - The Truth About X & Y
Alvean Lyons & Chelsea Washington
TRACE Success Consulting
It has happened to each and every one of us at one point or another… We engage in a conversation with a member of the opposite sex and walk away from that conversation thinking we fully understood one another, only to discover that we each had completely different ideas of what was said and what was meant. Why, you ask? Because dialogue between men and women men can be like cross-cultural communication. We actually speak two very different gender languages. Often it's not what was said, but how it was said. Basic communication differences can originate from the part of the country you come from, ethnic background, age, class, and just plain old personality quirks and all resulting in different conversational styles--different ways of saying the same thing. And when we add these already existing differences to our own gender language—how we learned to communicate within our own sex— it can become a runaway train. Knowing the simple yet profound differences that exist in our conversational styles, and how they work, can give you a brand new way of understanding what goes on when we speak across gender lines--and that understanding equips you with great tools available to you to change the direction, climate, and quality of some of your most valuable exchanges. From a partner to a professor… knowledge is personal power!
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