The Office of Diversity Initiatives (ODI) at Dickinson College is a resource center charged with advancing Dickinson’s commitment to broadening the understanding of and building a pluralistic society that promotes equality and integrity on the campus, in the community, and the world. The office provides individuals with the opportunity to broaden their views and enrich their cultural experiences through participation in diversity programs and training workshops. The office encourages and facilitates activities that allow students to voice their opinions, serve the community, and advocate for making Dickinson a place that welcomes difference and individuality.

ODI Core Values 
Pluralistic Community,  Equality,  Civility,  Cultural Awareness,  Meaningful Education 

In creating a meaningful education for a diverse community, the office collaborates with several constituencies at the college and in the community to fulfill its mission. Dickinson fosters diversity through the belief that awareness and knowledge of diversity and the ability to operate in a pluralistic society are important hallmarks of a quality liberal education. Dickinson College recognizes that breadth and depth in the pursuit of learning is enhanced by diversity within the student body, faculty, and administration. The quality of an education depends not only on the subject matter taught and quality of the teaching, but also on the people with whom students share their learning experiences. A multicultural presence helps all students better understand the challenges and rewards of living in a diverse climate. Day to day dialogue among students, faculty, and administrators, crucial to the teaching-learning process, is enhanced by diversity in a campus community where heterogeneity, whether cultural, racial, or economic, gives voice to a wider range of perspectives and worldviews.

The staff of ODI includes a full-time Director, Graduate Intern (Spring), Staff Associate, and student Diversity Assistants and Volunteers. The Diversity Assistants are responsible for coordinating yearlong projects and serve as campus and community liaisons for the office. Specific projects carried out by the Diversity Assistants include organization relations, diversity luncheon discussions focusing on specific themes, programming, web page management, community service, diversity dialogue facilitation, and creating and editing of the office publication, Diversity in Demand (DID). Other programs include a multicultural expo, diversity monologue contest, and lectures during culturally celebrated months. The office helps Dickinson students to build a community of world citizens, create a supportive environment for all individuals from diverse backgrounds, and improve Dickinson for all its members.

The office provides yearlong diversity programming and development for the campus and community in different ways. The ODI also provides diversity training workshops for student staff and different campus offices, and activities and programs for students, and works closely with other offices within and outside of Student Life to assist the college’s multicultural and social justice driven organizations.

The office houses a multicultural resource center open to the Dickinson community, which houses a library with different resources, and serves as a gathering area for multicultural organizations, and works together with diversity affiliates such as the Office of Global Education and the Asbell Center. The ODI also works closely with student organizations on Dickinson’s campus. This includes the Diversity Roundtable, ABOLISH, African American Society, ASIA, Latin American Club, House of Umoja, Spectrum, the Women’s Center, Indian Student Association, Muslim Student Association, Hillel, Sisterhood, Phoenix, Middle-Eastern Club, Tikkun, Club Afrique, 3rd Degree Step Group, and Sustained Dialogue.