We’ve reached Week 5 of the semester? How’s your student doing? Check out the following support and connection opportunities.

Let’s Talk. Our counseling staff would like our help in reminding students that they have access to free, confidential counseling services. 

Joining Hands for ISU - Trace your paws, Bengal Cats, and decorate that print with your story, and add your story to the pawprint circle. Join the Diversity Resource Center staff on Thursday, September 21, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in the Rendezvous Complex, Suites A, B, and C. Enjoy a painting activity with light refreshments, drinks, and music at this Fall semester welcome event. Canvas and painting supplies are complimentary, but limited. RSVP using our Joining Hands for ISU form.

United Against Hate - Join the Conversation on Tuesday, September 26 - Hate incidents can occur for a variety of reasons, but many people do not know what a hate crime entails or how to combat the problem. So when our ISU Office of Equity and Inclusion was approached about a collaboration with the office of the U.S. Attorney for Idaho, Josh Hurwit, they eagerly agreed to host the event on our campus. United Against Hate will bring together community experts to engage with the audience in discussing hate crimes, protected classes of hate crimes, Idaho hate-crime statistics, and more. As a community, we need to understand how hate can separate us and work together to find ways to combat hate.  Join the conversation with federal, tribal, and local officials and your fellow community members on Tuesday, September 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (Check in at 5:00 p.m.)  RSVP on the United Against Hate web page.

Brown Bag Conversation Hour Empowering Immigrant Women - Join the Diversity Resource Center and Andrea Scmutz on Thursday, September 26, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., for a presentation on "Empowering Immigrant Women" and learning about challenges immigrants face in Pocatello. This will be a casual, interactive conversation. RSVP on our Brown Bag Conversation Hour form, and come ready to listen, ask questions, and learn! They’ll be meeting in the Rendezvous Complex, Room 129. Can’t attend in person? Join us on Zoom.  

On Common Ground / Brave Conversations Call for Student Leaders - Students experience greater likelihood of success when they are in a safe, inclusive environment in which they feel like they belong. To help build that kind of environment and engage students in the process, the ISU Office of Equity and Inclusion will be offering an exciting new opportunity for student leadership and involvement: the On Common Ground / Brave Conversations initiative. The objective of the initiative will be to encourage students to assess their own definitions and experiences of belonging and then apply their newfound knowledge in the creation of an artistic, written, or performative piece in which they share their experiences related to belonging. Participants will have the opportunity to be considered for publication in a new literary journal, Brave Conversations.

The On Common Ground initiative will kick off later this fall with our first Brave Conversations experience utilizing Brene Brown’s book, Braving the Wilderness. Dates will be published in Idaho State Today and Roar Weekly (the digital student newsletter).

Student leaders will facilitate discussion groups with the help of a faculty or staff mentor, utilizing a conversation guide for the book. Participants will then take what they learn into the creation of a written, musical, or other artistic response to the work. Faculty and staff facilitators will be available to help students craft their entries for Brave Conversations, a new, curated literary journal housed with the ISU Office of Equity and Inclusion’s Diversity Resource Center. Participants will then submit their work to the journal for consideration. Selected students will present their work at the “Brave Conversations: On Common Ground Monologues” performance event in the Spring 2024 semester. This event will be advertised both on campus and to the larger community and will give students an opportunity to embrace leadership roles as well as present their work. 

Students may sign up using the On Common Ground Peer Leader Interest Form. 

By challenging students to think reflexively about the concept of belonging and have challenging, brave conversations around that concept, we can foster a safe and inclusive environment for all our Bengals. For more information, visit our website: On Common Ground | Idaho State University or contact the ISU Office of Equity and Inclusion at (208) 282-1649.