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Show lessons, Spring/Summer 2002 page 19 The Changing Faces of Utah BY jacqueline cheney photos BY STEPHEN ZANK After two full days of lectures and panel discussions from some of the best diversity experts in the Western United States, Utah educators had learned three important things about building a diverse learning community: it takes preparation, collaboration and a lot of love. The University of Utah's Intermountain Academy for Leadership in Higher Education presented the Changing Faces of Utah Conference Feb. 25-26. Although it was just a day after the closing ceremonies for the Olympic Winter Games, the Olpin Student Union's Saltair room was filled with over 100 educators, administrators, policy makers and students from Utah eager to talk about diversity. The purpose of the conference, according to Chair Anne Peterson, was to bring together participants from public and higher education "to decide what can and should be done to prepare all children to grow into their roles as scholars, workers, leaders and responsible citizens," and she believes the participants walked away with new ideas and contacts to achieve this goal. Many of these new ideas came from guest speakers from the University of Washington and those who had previously worked at the University of California-Berkeley. Both universities have struggled with serving their diverse student bodies, but have implemented plans that are working effectively. Although Utah still has a lot of growing to do before it reaches the diverse population sizes of California and Washington, the guest speakers said the preparation time is now. "The time for you good people of Utah is here. Usher in a new era of educational partnerships," said Anita Madrid, former Anita Madrid, former director of U Cal-Berkeley's diversity program, explains to conference participants the lessons she's learned trying to help diverse students succeed at the college level. |
