Penn State Scranton's next Diversity Circles program will be held virtually every Thursday from March 4 to April 1, over Zoom, with five discussion-based sessions being held in two-hour increments. A time will be decided once the program has been filled.
DUNMORE, Pa. — Penn State Scranton is continuing to help educate others on the ongoing issues in society today with its Diversity Circles program.
Established in 2017 by campus Chancellor Marwan Wafa, Diversity Circles has become a permanent program that is held every semester at Penn State Scranton. Consisting of five, two-hour long educational-based discussions, this program gives students and individuals from the local community the opportunity to discuss the issues of racism, discrimination, and what diversity and inclusion actually looks like in our society today.
Dharti Ray, the coordinator of the diversity program at Penn State Scranton is putting together the upcoming Diversity Circles program. Diversity Circles has become a huge part of Ray’s position at Penn State Scranton, as she said that she hosts Diversity Circles every semester for the students, faculty and community.
Ray also takes the concept of Diversity Circles into the classroom, to help educate students whose major involves an understanding of diversity and inclusion.
Being a recent graduate of Penn State, Ray spent two years at Penn State Scranton and two at University Park. She graduated with the class of 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.
During her time at Penn State Scranton, Ray helped establish the Indian Student Organization, which has become one of the largest and most involved clubs on campus. She was also heavily involved with the Multicultural Programs office during her time as a student.
Ray said she enjoys advising students and strengthening the diversity organization on campus through her role as coordinator. In light of the events occurring in society today, she said, she believes that the program is needed now more than it ever was before.
The curriculum of the program hasn’t changed, Ray said, because the same issues continue to happen in our society.
"It’s not about updating the curriculum after social issues occur, it’s about proving the point that more work needs to be done with racial equality," Ray said." We don’t need to update the curriculum because our society still needs to be educated and made aware of racial injustice.”
The upcoming Diversity Circles program will be held virtually every Thursday from March 4 to April 1. It will be held over Zoom, with five discussion-based sessions being held in two-hour increments. A time will be decided once the program has been filled.
For more information and to register for the program, contact Dharti Ray at 570-963-2685 or email [email protected].
