West Virginia University’s Diversity Week 2011 has a little flower child to it this year with the theme of “Peace. Love. Understanding.” But the week is full of practical events and cultural highlights that can only bring the WVU community together.
Held from Oct. 16-22, the week is meant to allow WVU students, faculty and staff to explore cultures different from their own, gain an understanding of the different backgrounds here at WVU and focus on what we share.
“Diversity Week has grown to touch every aspect of our campus,” said Jennifer McIntosh, executive officer of the President’s Office for Social Justice at WVU. “During the week we celebrate the strength that comes as our different abilities, cultures and personalities are blended into the fabric of our university. Diversity by its nature is quite broad and is a growing strength of WVU.”
Events will include a Mini World Cup soccer tournament, an Indian Festival of Lights celebration, first-person stories from students across the world, the annual Women of Color Luncheon and seminars and celebrations from many cultures and perspectives.
Here is the most recent list of Diversity Week events:
Sunday, Oct. 16
-2:30 p.m., The Mini World Cup Soccer Tournament hosted by the International Student Organization will be held at the Mountainlair Plaza.
Monday, Oct. 17
-Monday through Friday, “Be the Change” is a weeklong display of arts provided by art educator Christopher Williams and the fourth graders of St. Francis Central Catholic School. The event will be held at the Food Court Balcony in the Mountainlair.
-9 a.m.-noon, “With a Torch in Their Souls: African Americans in the Civil War” is a WVU Honors College Symposium to be held in the Honors Hall multipurpose room. The symposium continues from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. that night.
-10 a.m.-5 p.m., an International Festival will be held in the Mountainlair Ballrooms to celebrate the many cultures at WVU and features customs and traditions from students’ native lands. The event is sponsored by the Office of International Students & Scholars.
-11 a.m.-2 p.m., “Understanding Nonverbal Differences Across Cultures” is a display in the Mountainlair Commons on nonverbal communication and cultural differences by Colleen Malachowski, graduate student in the Department of Communication Studies.
-Noon, A Safe Zone training for students will be held in the Shenandoah Room of the Mountainlair. The training works to foster an atmosphere of support and celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning individuals on campus. The discussion will be led by Deb Beazley, Master of Social Work and senior program coordinator at WellWVU and the Carruth Center for Psychological & Psychiatric Services.
-Noon, “White Flight/Black Flight: Elderly Whites and African American Families Discuss Neighborhood Racial Change” is a discussion by Dr. Rachael A. Woldoff, professor of Sociology in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. She will be presenting her research on neighborhoods after white flight from her book “White Flight/Black Flight: The Dynamics of Racial Change in an American Neighborhood.” It will be held in the Rhododendron Room of the Mountainlair.
-12:30 p.m., A Belly dancing display and instruction session will be held in front of the Mountainlair, or in Hatfield’s in case of rain. The session will be led by Chivon Kisic, president of the WVU Bellydance Club.
-3 p.m., Journey Series: Ermira Babamusta, an Albanian Ph.D. candidate in political science, will discuss “The International Community and the Balkans: An Albanian Perspective.” Ermira will talk about the social, cultural and political aspects of Albania and Kosovo in times of peace and war, its current developments, and the involvement of United Nations and European Union in the area. The presentation will be held in the Laurel Room of the Mountainlair.
-3 p.m., Moli Starcher, the WVU Attorney for Students, will lead a discussion in the Mountaineer Room of the Mountainlair on “Building, Understanding and Managing Your Online Communities?Rules You Should Follow.” She will give the do’s and don’ts of online social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, and give participants tips on being safe and smart with an eye on the law.
-5 p.m., Journey Series: Aisulu Raspayeva, a graduate student in linguistics from Kazakhstan, will share her experience of how her love of life helped her overcome the challenges of moving to Morgantown. The talk will be held in the Laurel room of the Mountainlair.
6 p.m., Brandon Blache-Cohen, executive director of Amizade Global Service Learning, will speak in the Rhododendron Room of the Mountainlair about how lives are transformed through forging human connections between cultures.
6 p.m., Christine A. Poon, Dean of the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University and Former Vice Chairman of Johnson & Johnson, will speak as part of the B&E at 60 Speaker Series on “Leadership & International Business” in room 459 of the Business and Economics building.
-6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Oliver Luck, WVU Director of Athletics, will speak on “American Football 101,” an introduction to Mountaineer football for international students at the Team Meeting Room in the Milan Puskar Center. Confirm reservations by Oct. 14 at Terri.Howes@mail.wvu.edu. There is a limit of 100 participants.
-7 p.m., The Clothesline Project will kick off in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month with “Loud Voices: Breaking the Silence of Domestic Violence” in the Mountaineer Room of the Mountainlair. The event includes a selection from “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf: A Reading” and other voices speaking about love, abandonment, rape and domestic violence. The event is organized by the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance & Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center.
Tuesday, Oct. 18
-10 a.m. – 3 p.m., “One Planet, One People, One Chance” will offer ways to make small changes to your daily lifestyle for our environment. WVU Facilities Management is sponsoring on the Mountainlair Commons.
-10 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Clothesline Project will have a T-Shirt making booth in the Vandalia Lounge that will allow those affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a T-shirt that will hang on a clothesline to serve as a testimony to the problem of violence. The event is sponsored by the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance and the Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center.
-Noon, The African Dance Ensemble will give a performance on the Mountainlair Commons.
-12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m., Cookies, teas and coffee flavors from around the world will be available at the Health Sciences Center Commons, sponsored by the WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center.
-2 p.m., Tanya Tandon will discuss “Understanding Diwali?” a presentation on the festival of light, in the Mountaineer Room of the Mountainlair.
-3 p.m. – 4 p.m., Tea @ Three will host a discussion series on “Learning to Examine Life: Why Diversity is Essential to a Good K-12 Education” presented by Dr. Adriane Williams, professor of curriculum & instruction and Dr. William Rhee, professor of law. The event will be held in Room 802B Allen Hall.
-3 p.m., As part of the Journey Series, Ethel Perez from Colombia, an undergraduate student in physics, will present “A sudden turn. Ready? OK.” at the Laurel Room of the Mountainlair, where she shares her journey from her home country to Morgantown.
-4 p.m. Nettie Freshour, a registered dietician with WVU Dining Services, will give suggestions on choosing healthy snacks and offer samples in the Mountaineer Room of the Mountainlair.
-4:30 p.m., Saba Ashfaq will present “The Headscarf. Who Wears it? Why do they wear it? Is it Oppression?”: a discussion panel in the Laurel Room of the Mountainlair to discuss reasons and beliefs behind the headscarf.
-5 p.m., A safe zone training for faculty and staff will be offered in the Shenandoah Room of the Mountainlair.
-5 p.m., As part of the Journey Series, Ekrem Kocaguneli from Turkey, a graduate student in computer science, will be at the Laurel Room of the Mountainlair presenting “Times of Change: When Those Familiar Faces are Gone” a talk about the exciting but challenging university experience.
-5 p.m., A showing of the documentary “Music Within” about a brilliant public speaker who returned from Vietnam severely hearing impaired and found a new purpose in his landmark efforts on behalf of Americans with disabilities, will be held in the Gluck Theatre of the Mountainlair.
-6 p.m., The Diversity Week Roundtable on “Acknowledging issues facing diverse populations at WVU” will focus on four groups that impact WVU’s diverse environment. They are veterans, students of color, international students and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. The event will be held in the Mountainlair Ballrooms.
-6 p.m., An interactive presentation on “Understanding Others, Team Building,” will discuss universal accessibility in challenge course facilitation. The event will be held in the Rhododendron Room of the Mountainlair by Nathan Harlan, program coordinator with the Mountaineer Adventure Program.
-7 p.m., A panel on “Understanding Global Diversity: An International Dialogue about Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality” will be held in the Mountaineer Room of the Mountainlair. The panel will engage with social and economic aspects of women and men in diverse global contexts.
-7 p.m., A screening of “The King’s Speech” will be held in the Gluck Theatre of the Mountainlair. The film chronicles King George VI of Britain and his struggles with a speech impediment. The event will be facilitated by Jill Hess, rehabilitation counselor at the Office of Disability Services, and Dr. Kenneth St. Louis, professor of speech pathology and audiology.
-8 p.m., M.T. Pockets Theatre, 1390 University Avenue, will present “Puzzle at Port Royal: A Radical Rehearsal for the Racial and Economic Reconstruction of the South.” Tickets are $13 general public, $11 senior citizens and $8 students. The 60-minute theater piece frames five historical figures and their stories from the Civil War. http://mtpocketstheatre.com/shows
Wednesday, Oct. 19
-11:30 a.m., The 24th Annual Women of Color Luncheon will be held in the Mountainlair Ballrooms. Doretha Burrell will speak on “Living Your Vision and Purpose,” discussing her experience with breast cancer and how she lived her dreams. The Council for Women’s Concerns is sponsoring the luncheon. General admission tickets are $15. Student tickets are $13. Tickets can be obtained online at www.as.wvu.edu/cwc.
-Noon-3 p.m., Shelley Savage will feature “Unity Quilt”, a performance art piece exploring individual and collective identities in celebration of differences and similarities in our global age. It will be held at the Mountaineer Room in the Mountainlair.
-2 p.m., A self protection clinic will be held in the Rhododendron Room of the Mountainlair. Lt. Brian Hoxter, of the training division of the University Police Department, will demonstrate self defense and give safety tips for everyone.
-2p.m. – 3 p.m., Susan R. England-Lord, Extension associate professor, will present “Power Play: Who Has the Power?”, a webinar on cyber bullying and strategies to avoid becoming a victim. Participants should register at http://elearn.wvu.edu/info/register.php?sid=190
-3 p.m., As part of the Journey Series, Tanya Tandon, an economics undergraduate from India, will be at the Laurel Room of the Mountainlair presenting “The Indian Express,” a talk about her colorful journey encompassing the ups and downs of one student’s experience.
-3 p.m., Brian R. Jara, senior lecturer at the Center for Women’s Studies, will present “Bringing some GLEE to Diversity Week,” an interactive discussion in the Gluck Theatre about the hugely popular TV show and its messages about diversity, difference, and social justice.
-4 p.m., Students can learn about WVU’s Study abroad options in the Rhodendron Room of the Mountainlair from the Office of International Programs.
-4 p.m., “Islam Around the World” will allow listeners to discover the global face and misconceptions about Islam, the way of life of nearly 1 in 4 people in the world. The conversation will be held in the Laurel Room of the Mountainlair, and facilitated by Sohail Chaudhry, lecturer at the Religious Studies Department, and Zahid Syed, Ph.D. student of computer engineering.
-5 p.m – 6:30 p.m., Judy Murnan, health education specialist, will present “Sex Jeopardy,” an interactive discussion on sexually-transmitted infections, birth control methods, healthy communication between sexual partners, and much more. Sponsored by WELLWVU, it will be held in the Shenandoah Room of the Mountainlair.
-5 p.m., The Mountaineer Area Robotics team will give a demonstration of Marvin the Robot in the Engineering Sciences Building lobby. For information, contact Dr. Earl Scime, chairman of the Department of Physics.
-5 p.m., “Revealing Hate” will be a presentation on the hate group chapters in the U.S., including 13 in West Virginia. The presentation by Rich Fleisher of the WVU Extension Global Education Team will be in the Gluck Theatre.
-6 p.m., Dr. Semoa DeSouza-Brown, study abroad program coordinator will moderate “More than a Study Abroad: Lessons of Love, Peace and Uniderstanding!” a discussion where students will share their study abroad experiences in the Rhododendron Room of the Mountainlair.
-7 p.m., Melissa Chesanko, doctoral student and instructor in Women’s Studies & Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance will facilitate “Love your Body Day” a panel where student and faculty representatives from various countries will talk about body image ‘norms’ and beauty ideals.
-7 p.m., “Welcome to the Party” is a presentation about Sexual Assault: The Real Deal. It will be held at the Gluck Theatre in the Mountainlair by Deb Beazley, senior program coordinator at the WVU Carruth Center.
Thursday, Oct. 20
-11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., the prize-winning film “For the Bible Tells Me So” presents the issues of sexuality and faith and will be shown in the Gluck Theatre in the Mountainlair.
-2 p.m. “Culture Talk” is discussion based on a 10-minute clip of a “culture walk” from the film “What’s Race Got to Do With It?”, where participants will be engaged in an experiential exercise that challenges cultural stereotypes. Hosted at the Rhododendron Room in the Mountainlair by Erin Armoutliev, Erin Higgenbotham, and Alicia Smith, Psychology Interns at the WVU Carruth Center for Psychological & Psychiatric Services.
-4 p.m., Nettie Freshour, registered dietician at WVU Dining Services will host “Tackling the Tailgating” and present new healthy tailgating snack ideas.
-4 p.m., “Peace in the Neighborhood” is a presentation on local laws/ordinances and the creation of a positive nexus between WVU students and the Morgantown community. It will be held at Rhododendron Room in the Mountainlair and presented by Carrie Showalter, Attorney for Students, Brian Walker, coordinator of off-campus housing, and Don Corwin, president of the Monongalia County Landlords Association.
-5 p.m., “Piece of Peace, Love & Understanding” will be presented by Natalya Kuznetsova, Russian graduate student in linguistics. Natalya will share her experience of cultural and political stereotypes in the Laurel Room of the Mountainlair.
-5 p.m., The fourth grade class at St. Francis de Sales Central Catholic School will put on a giant puppets performance called, “The Day After Peace” in the Shenandoah Room of the Mountainlair to celebrate and teach peace.
-6 p.m., “The Times They are A-Changing: Were the Hippies Right?” Ruth Kershner will be at the Rhododendron Room of the Mountainlair speaking on the social changes in the 1960s and an overview of the ideas by the generation of young people and how those ideas influence us today.
-7 p.m., Joel Beeson, associate professor and Visual Journalism Program chair will be at the Gold Ballroom of the Mountainlair presenting “Soldiers of the Coalfields,” hidden stories about race in the coalfields of McDowell County.
-7:30 p.m., Ruth Kershner, professor of Community Medicine will be at the Rhododendron Room of the Mountainlair presenting “Got Tats?” an overview of the history, types and health issues associated with tattoos and body piercings.
-7:30 p.m., The Division of Theatre and Dance will be putting on a production of “The Crucible” at the Metropolitan Theatre about a 17th-century Salem women who accused an ex-lover’s wife of practicing witchcraft. Call (304)293-SHOW for tickets. General admission: $20. Senior citizens and WVU employees: $18. Students: $15. For more information, visit http://theatre.wvu.edu/our_season/2011_2012_season/crucible.
-9 p.m., Experience moments of laughter with the galaxy’s funniest blind guy, Troy Hammond during the “Comedy Caravan” in the Mountainlair Side Pocket on the ground floor.
Peace Celebration
Friday, Oct. 21
-11 a.m. – 2 p.m., “Origami and Origamics: Art and Science of Paper Folding from Far East Asia.” The paper folding tradition from Asia will be introduced and Origamics, the geometric science of origami will be demonstrated and participants will also be able to try for themselves in the Greenbrier Room on the second floor of the Mountainlair.
-11 a.m. – 2 p.m., “Drop-A-Cop” will be held at the Mountainlair Plaza by Lt. Brian Hoxter, where participants will learn self-defense techniques.
-11 a.m. – 2 p.m., West Virginia Raptor Rehabilitation Center will display Anne the hawk, William the barred owl, Bibo the screechless owl and more out on the Mountainlair Plaza. For more information, visit www.wvrrc.org.
-Noon, Barbara Griffin invites all to join in the fun with Latin dance moves on the Mountainlair Plaza. Rain Location: Mountainlair Ballrooms.
-1 p.m., Dr. Kimberly Williams, Professor of Community Medicine will facilitate the practice of Yoga at the Mountainlair Plaza. Rain Location: Mountainlair Ballrooms.
-2 p.m. – 3 p.m., “Engineers Making a Difference Worldwide” Join and learn how “engineers in training” partner with developing communities worldwide to improve quality of life through innovation at the Engineering Building on the ground floor Room 21 on the Evansdale Campus.
-7:30 p.m., The Division of Theatre and Dance will be putting on production called “The Crucible” at the Metropolitan Theatre.
-9 p.m. – 1 a.m., Sponsored by WVU Student Affairs, WVUp All Night will take place at the Mountainlair Commons.
-9 p.m. – 1 a.m. The WVU International Student Organizations will feature “World Dance Party” a night of music and dance from different countries at the Mountainlair Commons.
-9 p.m. – 1 a.m. The Chinese Student Organization will feature “Chinese Knotting” at the Vandalia Lounge of the Mountainlair, where participants can learn the techniques for traditional decorative knots.
-9 p.m. – 1 a.m. The Japanese Student Organization will feature Origami in the Vandalia Lounge of the Mountainlair, where participants will learn the traditional art of paper folding.
-9 p.m. – 1 a.m. WVUp All Night Interns will teach how to make “Masks from around the World” in the Vandalia Lounge of the Mountainlair.
Saturday, Oct.22
-11 a.m., “Peace Walk” will take place at the Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park. The event is sponsored by WVU Sororities and will be facilitated by Kay Fanok and Courtney Hooper, WVU Panhellenic Council president.
-2:30 p.m., Diwali children’s program will take place in the Mountainlair Ballrooms.
-4:30 p.m., Dinner for the Diwali Celebration will be at Hatfield’s, located inside the Mountainlair.
-7:30 p.m., Diwali Celebration: Fashion Show, Bollywood Dancers, and more. The event is sponsored by the Indian Student Association and will take place in the Mountainlair Ballrooms. Look out for ticket selling stalls at the Engineering Science Building, Mountainlair, HSC, Kassars, and Saffron, or contact Neel Patel at (609) 816-7370 and Khushali Patel at (304) 641-5233. http://indians.studentorgs.wvu.edu/tarang_2011
-7:30 p.m., The Division of Theatre and Dance will be putting on a production of “The Crucible” at the Metropolitan Theatre.
See the diversity week schedule online: http://socialjustice.wvu.edu/diversity_page
-WVU-
CONTACT: Sharon Mallow, President’s Office for Social Justice
304-293-5496, Sharon.Mallow@mail.wvu.edu
Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.