On Monday, Sept. 21, seniors and graduate students at Elizabethtown College had their mandatory diversity and inclusion training. The 90-minute webinar session was conducted by diversity and inclusion educator Don Trahan. First-year students already experienced their training session during first-year orientation earlier this semester.
“Having this type of education and making it mandatory shows that not only do we say that we value something, we’re putting something behind that,” Director of Title IX/Compliance Programs and Intercultural Affairs Nichole Gonzalez said.
The diversity and inclusion training also supports the College’s mission of Educate for Service by being open and respectful to all people. It gives students the ability to foster a more inclusive environment as well as the opportunity to be at the same basic level of knowledge regarding these issues.
As for the content of the session, it covers a wide range of topics.
“One of the things that this program covers is vocabulary. What does racism mean? What’s the difference between racism and bias? How can we use these tools to move forward and how can we live well together?” Gonzalez said.
The session also covers the difference between race and ethnicity and between sex, gender, gender identity and gender expression. Microaggressions are another topic discussed, including examples of what microaggressions are and the difference between an insult and an insult based on race.
Students also learned about unconscious bias and how to reach and move forward when someone calls you out on it.
“Everyone has bias regardless of who you are and what your identities are,” Gonzalez said.
Based on positive comments shared by students leaving the webinar, the training session appears to be well-received by the upperclassmen. First-year students had a similar response after their training during first-year student orientation. However, Gonzalez discussed that she would not be surprised if the session received any pushback from people whose beliefs are challenged or from people who are against the session being mandatory.
The College elected to bring in diversity and inclusion expert Trahan from outside of Etown, and Gonzalez had nothing but good things to say about him.
“Don is fantastic,” she said, “He has a way about doing this with students, even in this online format. I can only imagine what it would be like to bring him here in person.”
However, Trahan is not a complete stranger to the College. Vice President for Student Life Dr. Celestino Limas specifically worked with Trahan to bring him into Etown, and he also mentioned during the training session on Monday that he has connections to Etown President Cecilia McCormick as well.
While knowledge and education are important, what may be even more important is implementing that knowledge in your life and community. Gonzalez stressed that students should always try their best and come from a place of goodness. We all have a level of unconscious bias, so mistakes are inevitable, but she wants students to really listen when people confront them on their mistakes.
“Instead of focusing on how badly you might feel for making a mistake, focus on fixing that mistake in the future,” she said.
In a space where “cancel culture” is thriving, people are extremely afraid of making mistakes and having conversations about those mistakes because of fears of being “cancelled” and subsequently labelled as a bad person. Gonzalez says to not be afraid of making mistakes and asking questions, and above all to be compassionate towards each other.
Overall, the diversity and inclusion training was a success, especially to Gonzalez personally.
“I think it was a great training and information session because I learn something every time I’ve participated even as someone who is very knowledgeable about issues of diversity, equity and inclusion,” she said.
Sophomore and junior students will have their training Tuesday, Oct. 20.
