Diversity Certificate Program

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by Yashira Caraballo

If you use the Rutgers-Camden app, you’ve likely seen many posts by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion on the new Diversity Certificate Program. But what is the Diversity Certificate Program?

According to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, “The Diversity Certificate Program provides participants with a set of tools that will facilitate discovery, challenge personal awareness, and promote change on campus. Active participants will demonstrate acquired knowledge, support, and bring awareness to creating an inclusive community where all feel safe to share and create.” The program was created by TiAira Neal, Alex Iffland, and Angela Wismar.

The certificate is free for all students and once completed, all participants will receive a certificate. It consists of 5 modules on Canvas: Diversity 101, LGBTQ+ Gender & Sexuality, Pronouns, Understanding Bias, and Race. The modules are self-paced and are followed by assessments after each module to test for comprehension and engagement. They each contain an audio-visual presentation along with additional resources related to each topic. After the completion of all modules, there is a final comprehensive evaluation.

There are 2 tracks in the program: the Learner Track and the Advocate-Designee Track.

The Learner Track is for “learners who wish to engage the presented material and would be doing so for knowledge only. The completion assessments that accompany this track only require response questions to each module and a comprehensive short essay at the end.”

The Advocate-Designee Track is for “learners who want to advance knowledge of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) or who have prior experience with DEI training and can become facilitators for future training through the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI). The advocate-designee track has a more extensive completion assessment, which will include video responses, short essays, and a final comprehensive dialogue about learning goals. Advocate designees will be listed as ODI delegates when training for student groups is requested.”

Overall, the certificate seems like a great opportunity to educate students on diversity, equity, and inclusion. It can be listed on your resume and since it’s free and only for Rutgers-Camden students, it’s worth checking out.

For more information, you can email ODI at inclusion@camden.rutgers.edu.

To register: https://forms.gle/RwAFnzquroNvYrnYA.