Workshops & Activities

Upcoming Events

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) offers a variety of activities, events and programs by working collaboratively with other departments and offices as well as student organizations. Through these cultural, educational and social events we seek to teach and learn the similarities and differences between cultural behavioral patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions and all other products of human behavior and thought. This valuable education seeks to create and maintain a campus environment that is increasingly more accepting, nurturing, understanding and welcoming for all students, faculty and staff.

Below is a listing of some of the workshops and activities specifically offered by the ODEI. FSU student organizations, faculty and staff interested in a workshop may contact the office for more information. For additional listings watch for notices online and other FSU publications.

Archie Bunker's Neighborhood: A Cross Culture Simulation Exercise

Archie Bunker's Neighborhood allows participants to experience and act out their feelings about the processes involved when people of various cultural identities arbitrarily acquire and utilize community resources; to increase the level of awareness and sensitivity to the kinds of pressures imposed by in-group members on out-group members; to create the opportunity for a "walk a mile in another's shoes" type of experience; to examine the various effects of institutional racism/classism/homophobia on members of different cultural and economic groups; to examine the consequences of entrapment in competitive situations that may lead to win-lose or lose-lose situations; and to develop a safe space in which to dialogue about the dynamics of this experience and to related it to the "real" world.

Bafa Bafa: A Cross Culture Simulation

BaFa BaFa is a simulation game used for cross-cultural training. The experience is intended to create a situation which allows participants to explore the idea of culture. It should create feelings which are familiar to those one will likely encounter when one travels to a different culture. It will also give participants experience in observing and interacting with a different culture.

Time - (depends on size of group) Count on at least 1 hour for the smallest group; # Participants- Works best with 6-35 participants.

Diversity Activities And Training Designs

A three-ring binder containing a collection of 36 diversity activities and 9 lectures to be used by a facilitator with an intermediate level of skill and knowledge of diversity issues. The activities and lectures can be used for both workshops and meetings. All of the activities are for general diversity work and some can be adapted to focus on a specific category of diversity- such as gender, age, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, religion or people with disabilities-many can be used as sessions that focus on specifics.

The Diversity Game: A Game For Exploring Differences That Are More Than Skin Deep

Now there is an energizing game that helps people quickly recognize and understand the unique blend of thinking style preferences that make up their group. Playing Diversity, a card game created and developed by Ted Coulson and Alison Strickland of Applied Creativity, Inc., will help you:

Involve people quickly in your meetings or workshops while they get to know each other in a high energy activity.
Explore the similarities and differences in thinking style preferences that are available in a group.
Introduce the concept of diversity in an interesting non- threatening way.
Lead people to discover that mental preferences are not "right" or "wrong"-- they just are.
Quickly arrange people in small groups within a larger workshop or meeting group that are either homogeneous or heterogeneous in thinking style/mental preference
Facilitate a discussion of the group's thinking style strengths and potential blind spots.
Build understanding and appreciation of those with different thinking style preferences.
Introduce a dialogue about ways to use the group's strengths productively and their differences synergistically.

Diversity Retreat

Once each academic year The Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) sponsors a Diversity Retreat, now renamed “The FSU Social Justice Summit”. Open and free to all FSU students, the retreat is an opportunity to openly discuss our similarities and differences, and learn to appreciate both. The retreat includes workshops and other activities intended to promote student awareness and empowerment in diversity issues and coalition building. The weekend involves moments of great challenge and great fun. You should leave with new friends, new acquaintances and new insights of yourself and others.

The Game Of Oppression: An Interactive Tool Of Diversity Education

While college campuses are becoming increasingly diverse, many students still find it difficult to step outside of what is familiar and interact with students of different races, religions, classes, abilities or sexual orientations. Students may pass each other on campus and attend classes together, but few develop meaningful relationships with others from different backgrounds. The Game of Oppression is designed to encourage and challenge individuals from different backgrounds and experiences to engage in authentic dialogue.

The Game of Oppression is an innovative interactive training program designed specifically for use by student affairs professionals. The program equips diversity educators with strategies to encourage students to take full advantage of the diversity on their respective campuses and in their communities. The game provides a "safe space" for authentic dialogue around the issues of oppression.

National Coalition Building Institute Workshops

The National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) is a nonprofit leadership training organization based in Washington, D.C. Since 1984m NCBI has been working to eliminate prejudice and intergroup conflict in communities throughout the world. The organization creates leaders who help to solve difficult community issues and serves as a resource when emotional conflicts emerge on campus. There is an FSU-NBI Leadership Team consisting of student leaders, support staff, faculty and administrators who are passionate and committed to social justice for all. These team members have all participated in a three-day training institute to become trained facilitators. Some of workshops offered on this campus are

Introduction to Diversity 101 - Intro to Higher Education Workshop
Controversial Issues Process Workshop
NCBI facilitator workshop
No More Violence In My Life

This page is a site to find past events supported by the administration at Frostburg State University in adherence of the university's principles towards importance of student and leadership diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Student Affairs office supports Frostburg/ Western Maryland community members and FSU students get their voices heard and shows that administration is here to make the community a better, more equal and inclusive place to call home.

Past Events in Support of UCDEI and ODEI

Cumberland Pride March and Rally

Students and community members alike gathered together recently to show appreciation to the LGBTQ community. VP of Student Affairs Dr. Artie Travis and Assistant VP of Student Affairs Mrs. Robin Wynder were in attendance showing their support. Human rights principles, norms and standards lie at the heart of efforts to raise awareness about and advocate for specific actions focused on ending discrimination against and the exclusion of LGBTQ people.In too many places, LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) people are among the most persecuted, marginalizes, or at risk. In seventy-five countries, a relationship with someone of the same sex is a crime. In every corner of the world, LGBT people continue to face threats of violence and discrimination in their work and private lives. More than a third of the world’s countries criminalize consensual, loving same-sex relationships, entrenching prejudice and putting millions of people at risk of blackmail, arrest and imprisonment. [1]

The Frostburg State University family is in support of equal rights. View photos from the event BELOW

'She Matters March and Rally' for Breonna Taylor

Since Taylor was killed on March 13, stories of unarmed sons, daughters, fathers and mothers being killed by police have sparked protests and calls for tangible change. The stories include the names of George Floyd, Elijah McClain, Johnathan Price and more. Taylor’s family is in New York, connecting with other grieving families, all part of a community they once uplifted and never thought they’d be a part of. Frostburg Students participated in a local march and rally for the 'She Matters' march in support of justice for Breonna Taylor. This event serves as a pivotal piece in seeing change within the community and showed solidarity amongst the Allegany section.