ETSU students with a passion for learning about diversity and inclusivity now have the opportunity to enrich their campus and community by becoming Diversity Educators.
Diversity Educators is a program run through the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement. Eight to ten students will be selected to be a part of the program and will participate in a five-week training session before leading their own conversations in classes at ETSU and other organizations throughout the community.
Tolulope Adeusi, a graduate assistant at the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement, is actively involved in planning for the incoming class of Diversity Educators. She has high hopes that the incoming class will all have successful, meaningful experiences, amid intentions of trying to “revamp” the program.
Adeusi describes Diversity Educators as a paid, “peer-to-peer program” where students are invited in to have conversations about diversity, inclusion, equity and equality. Being a Diversity Educator requires a three-semester commitment, which is why applications are only open to first, second and third-year students.
Students in the program will not only receive guidance on how to navigate and initiate conversations regarding life’s more uncomfortable topics but will also receive conflict and management training, as well as leadership, critical thinking and public speaking skills.
Adeusi shares that participating in the program can only be an advantage to students, due to the invaluable skills and training Diversity Educators are provided with.
“Talking about diversity and inclusion can be very uncomfortable, but I feel like it is an advantage because then you can address issues that affect people on a day-to-day basis,” Adeusi said.
“We provide you with the necessary instruments to be able to talk about [these issues] safely.”
Being a Diversity Educator will also impact a student’s life post-graduation. Adeusi adds that today’s employers are no longer seeking applicants with only “hard skills.” They now need applicants to possess “soft skills” like critical thinking, teamwork, communication, creativity and interpersonal interaction.
“The training will ensure that when they go out into the real world they know how to interact with people and they will be able to do it in a way that will benefit all parties involved,” Adeusi said.
Applications are now open and will close the beginning of November. For more information or to submit an online application, visit the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement’s website, or send an email to diversityeducation@etsu.edu.
