Trinity Embarks on “Next Step” with Intercultural Workshop - Photogallery

At Trinity, one of our strengths lies in the diversity of people who form our community. In order to celebrate and further our commitment to enhancing that community, Trinity has hosted several events this year including discussion nights focusing on code-switching, documentary viewing and discussion on privilege, and a “joy and justice” series specifically for faculty and staff.

The most recent event, “The Next Step: An Intercultural Workshop,” took place on Jan. 23. The Next Step workshop, hosted by Trinity’s Multicultural Leadership Team, brought together students, faculty, and staff to talk about their own racial identity and understanding of racial identities and experiences of others. The workshop included experiential activities, small group discussion, racial affinity councils, and a guest presenter.

The Trinity students on the Multicultural Leadership Team, Christian Perry ‘16, Claire Edwards ‘18, and Paulette Atenco ‘18, worked with Director of Student Programs Troy Schemper to coordinate the event. Perry led the planning for the event and assembled the faculty, staff, and students who participated and provided support.

“I am quite proud of the work that these student leaders are doing under the supervision and guidance of Troy–this is a newly organized leadership team, only in its second year,” said Dean of Students Mark Hanna. “It was led well by Monica Par, Amanda Grzeslo, and Noel Huddleston last year, and this year’s team continues to build.”

Hanna said the event and its student leaders made him proud on many levels. “Recent organizational changes in student life are allowing us to increase the number of student leadership roles and are allowing us to better program about diversity–particularly race and culture. The student leaders that have assumed roles on this particular leadership team are working hard and risking a lot to encourage and challenge their peers by offering this kind of intentional programming. The vision for their work directly supports institutional commitments to diversity, student leader development, and increasing our capacity to think about and talk about diversity. And this is about vocation–for the student leaders involved and for this Christian community.”