Adviser discusses diversity

By Sergio Tapia/reporter

SE students learned about the impact of diversity among TCC students at the Free to be Me diversity forum Oct. 4.

SE academic adviser Cyrus Crosby talked with students about being aware of the differences in students’ backgrounds.

“I want you to gain appreciation for people and their culture,” he said.

Dimensions of diversity vary based on things like religion, culture, ethnicity and socioeconomic background, but the goal of TCC is to provide a positive learning environment for students to prosper.

TCC is working to improve the awareness and perception of the diverse student body throughout its campuses.

To help students better understand other cultures, Crosby talked with them about the principles of engagement, which include avoiding judgment, distractions, categorizing, guilt and making assumptions.

“It is important to consider the dimensions of diversity, but what is most important is the inclusion of the diverse cultures,” Crosby said.

Crosby encouraged students to keep an open mind and try to learn about cultural differences.

“Think of TCC as a puzzle and we are the pieces, different colors, shapes, but together we make up the puzzle,” he said.