West Virginia University at Parkersburg has been awarded an $8,870 “Diversity for Equity” grant to fund programs that increase cultural diversity on campus and promote equal access to higher education opportunities.
WVU Parkersburg’s grant funds will be used to fund three distinct initiatives: a guest speaker in observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, guest speakers in observance of Black History Month in February and partial funding for the delivery of online sexual assault prevention training for students. The college will host guest speaker Bill Deering on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 11 a.m. in the college theatre, room 1305. Deering will present “Building Your Team to Overcome Adversity.”
“The funding provided through this Diversity for Equity initiative supports WVU at Parkersburg’s values for cultural and ethnic diversity and promotes understanding that prepares students for full and meaningful participation in a changing world,” said Debbie Richards, special assistant to the president for policy and social justice.
The Diversity for Equity program is a joint initiative of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education. The program aims to foster campus environments that are inclusive of various generational, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Projects funded through the initiative focus on closing achievement gaps among underrepresented populations and preparing students to live and work in a diverse world.
