Elon University will host a special dinner 5-6:30 p.m. Jan.14 inside Green World at 1889 to engage students, faculty and staff in conversation about on-campus inclusivity.
This Elon CommUNITY dinner will provide an environment for individuals to voice their opinions on the development of diversity and the other areas where the university can provide a safer and close-knit community. Its theme will be “One Campus, Many Voices.”
Marisa Pareti, an Elon senior and executive intern at the Office of the Provost, encourages all members of the Elon community to openly talk about their concerns and interests. She is co-hosting the program on Thursday alongside T.J. Bowie, coordinator for Residential Campus Dining and Engagement.
“The basic idea is to have a space for students to have intentional dialogue,” Pareti said.
Pareti said there were two similar dinners in the past as part of a pilot program, but entrance restrictions that had been placed could have limited student engagement.
She argued there is a need for more inclusion in all college communities. Elon is no exception.
“In the 2014 Campus Climate survey, 80 percent of students who self-identify as black say that they do not feel physically safe on campus,” she said. “What does that translate to on our campus?”
She hopes this dinner will provide an outlet for any person to share their insecurities or hardships. Pareti’s larger goal is to spark a dialogue regarding how to promote inclusivity and respond to those suggestions.
Thursday’s dinner is meant to be casual and students should arrive by 5 p.m. to grab dinner. The conversation being conducted by student facilitators at each table will begin fifteen minutes later.
The dinner is available to all members of the Elon community, including those without meal plans. While the event is open for all to attend, interested parties must RSVP.
The Provost Inclusive Community Team expects participants to attend the event with the intention of freely discussing their experiences at Elon.