Hip-hop history, Japanese snacks and much, much more: How 果冻传媒 builds an inclusive campus
From contour drawing to banned books, from social justice to yoga, 果冻传媒鈥檚 sixth Building Bridges and Community Day featured an event for everyone on campus.
It鈥檚 the sixth iteration of Building Bridges and Community Day (BBCD), an event sponsored by the College鈥檚 Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, that allows for open and thoughtful discussion 鈥 from a variety of viewpoints.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity for campus to slow down and be in community with each other,鈥 said Melinda Weathers, director of diversity and inclusion. 鈥淭he sessions range from small sessions under 30 people to our larger signature events.鈥
Signature events began early in the week with artist, educator and activist Devine Carama, who has also spent time at the College in a mini-residency.
Along with Carama, featured events included 鈥淥vercoming Imposter Syndrome and Making Big Asks: Careers and Lessons in Anthropology鈥 with Vice President of Student Life Barbara LoMonaco, and 鈥淥ur stories: A Panel of LGBTQ+ Persons of Faith鈥 led by Stodghill Professor of Religion Rick Axtell.
In total, there were 46 sessions in the 2023 edition of BBCD, with more than 1,200 members of the campus community participating. Weathers thanked the New Horizon Scholars for helping promote the day鈥檚 events 鈥 and noted that of those 46 sessions, more than half were led by students.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the goals I had this year 鈥 get more students involved,鈥 Weathers said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 also in thanks to professors who gave students the option to present a session as part of an assignment or an end-of-semester project.鈥
Some of the sessions shared an in-depth look into a sport like rugby or baseball. Others focused on drawing and art, while other session leaders looked at their own cultural history to share with the campus. For class of 2026 New Horizons Scholar Liz Dickerson, it provided her an opportunity to share about her mother's culture.
The underlying current through all the campus events is to foster connection while promoting a shared understanding and acceptance.
鈥淭here are sessions where you are really tackling issues and have a plan to present information and recommendations back to our (ODI) office and staff,鈥 Weathers said. 鈥淭here are sessions where maybe you鈥檇 be nervous to do something you had never done before, such as art or a cooking class. Then there鈥檚 opportunities to say, 鈥楬ey we see some things happening on Centre鈥檚 campus and, as a community, we can be more responsible and address them.鈥欌
Weathers noted Dickerson's session as an important one because it shared a cultural experience 鈥 and it provided Dickerson an opportunity to lead.
鈥淭o be able to share a person鈥檚 culture with the larger campus community is really important,鈥 Weathers said. 鈥淔or students to organize, put a presentation together and speak to their peers, faculty and staff, the roles are reversed. That鈥檚 why I really like that so many of these sessions were student lead.
鈥淭hey are most successful when the students are leading, they鈥檙e bringing their brains 鈥 not just the academic side but their personal lives to the community.鈥
Dickerson added that her BBCD experience help cultivate a "safe and understanding community."
"It is so easy to get caught up in your own world and be focused on just your life," Dickerson said. "While your own person should always be a priority, you cannot grow as an individual without learning how the people around you are also growing. Empathy is such an important part of the human experience, and it is so easy to forget that when so much is going on in your life. Because of this, BBCD is an amazing way to take time away from the things that may be stressful and instead focus on learning and connecting with people on campus. While Centre already fosters a connected and active community, there is always room for growth, and I think that BBCD is one of the best ways to encourage that growth."
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect final participation numbers.
