San Diego State’s Office of Intercultural Relations, along with Student Life & Leadership, held its annual Leadership and Diversity Summit in the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center last Saturday. The theme of the summit was “Differences Affirmed: Making an Impact in our Global Community.” Students participated in workshops and diversity-awareness training focused on developing cultural awareness, sensitivity and competency in their leadership skills. SDSU’s cultural competency program implemented in the summit represents the first of its kind in the California State University system. SDSU’s Director of International Partnerships Dr. Paul Wong served as the opening keynote speaker. Wong’s message focused on the importance of viewing diversity as an institutional asset and vital part of the college experience. SDSU student Keisha Mello-Hall gained a new perspective on what diversity means.
“Being half black and half white, I thought I knew what diversity was about. Coming here and learning that diversity was much more than ethnicity or race was eye-opening for me,” Mello-Hall said.
The summit moved to the Arts and Letters building for three breakout sessions hosted by several student organizations, university officials and community volunteers. Students had the option to choose between several workshops structured to raise cultural awareness and enhance leadership skills.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex Speaker’s Bureau Student Panel hosted a session to raise participants’ cultural consciousness about the LGBTQ community, as well as strengthen leadership and ally behaviors. Ashley Boyd, a graduate assistant in SDSU’s Cross-Cultural Center, led the session.
“Part of being a leader is having a comprehensive awareness of diversity,” Boyd said. “If a leader isn’t aware of communities like the LGBTQ community, they can’t be effective.”
Associated Students’ executive officers held a session discussing the diverse paths they took to become A.S. leaders, and offered advice to those interested in student government.
“As a leader, you have to have an effective and appropriate message and the ability to communicate it to anybody,” A.S. President Cody Barbo said. “Being culturally competent is the best way to do that.”
Dr. Timothy Quinnan, Associate Vice President for Campus Life at SDSU, served as the closing keynote speaker. Quinnan’s remarks focused on the importance of recognizing “a spiritual connection that we all share to create change.”
