Fall 2012 Issue - Colby-Sawyer College

Student and faculty
volunteers maintained an
“I Stand For” table during
meal times and invited
people to fill out a form
stating what they stood for.
Participants were photographed
and their images
paired with their statements.
“Having a face to
accompany the words was
critical, as it made it much
more personal,” says
Serota Cote. It also helped
to bring more attention to
the project, since the
photographs were developed
throughout the day
and people kept coming
back to check the growing
collection of friends and
colleagues.
More than 300 people
participated in the event,
with statements ranging
from specific, such as gay
rights, to more broad
ideas, such as everyone’s
right to be happy. Taking
a step back from the many
photographs and statements,
it is easy to see the
gap bridged between
people of different backgrounds
uniting on the
same causes or issues.
“I have always held to the
belief that a diverse
community is a strong
community,” says Bernard
Botchway ’15, a member of
the council who was born
in Ghana and lived in
England. “There is so
much to be gained from
different ideologies,
cultures and experiences.”
The Diversity Council is
moving into the 2012-2013
academic year with more
ideas and projects to
increase understanding
of and celebrate diversity.
One idea first applied to a
sociology class this past
year that proved effective,
is to have the first year
class take part in a sort of
“speed dating” activity that
encourages students to get
to know as much about a
person as possible within
a set time. The winner
is the one who knows the
most about everyone
in the room. Professor of
Social Sciences and Education
Joseph Carroll,
was pleasantly surprised
by how engaged his students
were in this activity
that helped them realize
how much diversity was
within one small class.
One result, he said, was
that many students felt
inspired to travel more
after their conversations.
It is activities such as this,
and creative campaigns
like “I Stand For,” that
continue to push the
Colby-Sawyer community
toward different ways
of thinking, seeing and
understanding with
a global mindset.
The “I Stand For” campaign
can be viewed in the
Cleveland, Colby, Colgate
Archives upon request.
To become involved with the
Diversity Council, contact
Pamela Serota Cote
at pamela.serotacote@
colby-sawyer.edu
Fall 2012
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