[Grad-Cap Icon] Training

The 1 1/2-day Building Inclusive Communities (BIC) student-focused workshop assists undergraduate and graduate students to learn about diversity and take personal responsibility for creating a truly engaged diverse and inclusive campus environment. The BIC workshop model relies on experiential learning with an emphasis on personal sharing. Participants learn about their own and others` multiple identities and about the difference between intent and impact. This student-focused workshop parallels the new Building Inclusive Communities workshops being offered to VCU administrators, faculty and staff. Experienced diversity consultants lead VCU students in creating a safe, non-blaming learning environment. The key workshop components are: Guidelines for culturally sensitive interactions, learning about the process of cultural and institutional change, personal sharing about culture, the impact of oppression, and how to use feelings and feedback as tools to dismantle patterns of oppression. Together we can develop a culturally informed VCU community that empowers each of us to strengthen communication and effectively address the needs of diverse groups.