DIVERSITY PEER EDUCATION PROGRAMOne Campus One Vision for Diversity and InclusionMission The mission of Diversity Peer Education Program is to help create a learning environment that celebrates diversity, builds partnerships, and provides support to enhance the success of an inclusive and culturally respectful university campus.Vision The Diversity Peer Education Program strives to promote experiences characterized by open communication that deepen understanding of culture and heritage, to promote respect for commonalities and differences in historical and cultural contexts, to encourage civic and social responsibility within our communities, and to help make the campus a welcoming place for everyone.Objectives We commit to help our students to gain insight, value diversity, and take action by: • Creating a cultural surrounding where diversity is a driving force • Increasing appreciation of differences • Limiting the influence of stereotypes • Transforming knowledge into acceptance and empathy • Understanding the impact of their behaviors on othersStudent Learning Outcomes • Students will develop a sense of responsibility to social justice and diversity issues and service to the others both in and out of the classroom • Students will have the opportunity to enhance cultural sensitivity and competence through the formal and informal interactions with diverse peers, faculty members, administrators and staff • Students will gain a better understanding of the cultural challenges facing multicultural environment • Students will articulate issues related to diversity in their surroundings through the reflections on one’s own understanding and experience • Students will show greater openness and willingness to engage in respectful communication across social differences Programs and Services: • Diversity Peer Educators: All St. John’s full-time students who have a cumulative grade point average 3.0 or higher, good disciplinary standing as per the Dean of Student Life, highly self-motivated, a strong sense of diversity awareness, and good presentation skills are eligible to apply for the Diversity Peer Educators Team. Our Diversity Peer Educators are trained to design and facilitate diversity workshops, games, and activities as requested by STJ faculty members, student organizations, and local communities; and to assist in programming cultural diversity events and activities. Services include: - Develop and facilitate diversity awareness workshops for “Don’t Cancel That Class” (DCTC) requested by faculty members, and for all St. John’s interest groups - Design and conduct cultural diversity classes and activities for local communities - Plan and coordinate diversity events collaborating with St. John’s student organizations • Coping strategies for cultural shock Sessions: There are four one-hour sessions to discuss from conflict to acceptance that help prepare international students for adjusting to life in the US and American students for study abroad. Students will gain a better understanding of cultural shock phases and learn coping strategines to deal with cultural differences and diversity issues. Sessions will be scheduled based on requests, and a minimum of 10 students is required. • Intercultural Dialogue: The Dialogue is to encourage harmonious interaction and equitable exchange and conversation among people with plural and dynamic cutlural identities at St. John’s University, and to provide an opportunity for our students and the univeristy community members to deepen their understanding of cultural diversity values based on mutual understanding and respect of all cultures. Topics and sessions based on requests by interest groups. • Ronald H. Brown Summer Law School Prep Program: The Summer Law School Prep Program sponsored by the Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights and Economic Development through the St. John’s School of Law is designed for college sophomores who are either low-income or first-generation college students or members of a group underrepresented in law school education. Program application info session is scheduled for all St. John’s sophomores in early December of Fall semester. Additional InformationRosa C. Yen Associate Director, Leadership Development & Multicultural Affairs (718) 990-5023yenc@stjohns.edu