DUS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
We welcome everyone to our community.
David Smith
Associate Dean for Advising and Executive Director
Rebekka Kuhn
Interim Coordinator of Multicultural Initiatives
Hear from our staff...
What are you doing to become more culturally competent?
I actively seek out opportunities to learn from people with identities and experiences different from my own. This could mean joining a club or organization, trying a new food, reading an article or book, going to a social event, enrolling in a course, engaging with media, attending a lecture or panel discussion, or following someone on social media. The options are endless!
In my learning, I center the lived experiences of people in the communities that I’m trying to learn more about. I am grateful to have learned so much from people in the AAPI, Black, Christian, disabled, Hispanic/Latinx, immigrant, Indigenous, Jewish, LGTBTQIA+, Muslim, and veteran communities, along with so many others.
No one owes me their story, so when someone chooses to share theirs with me, they are giving me a gift. It’s my responsibility to accept the gift graciously, to work past any discomfort of stepping outside of my own culture, and to understand where they’re coming from. I don’t have to believe or agree with everything people share, but I do have to sit with it and let what I’ve learned inform my actions.
Listening. Really listening. And talking and reading and learning about different life experiences.
In order to become more culturally competent, I try to listen more than I speak and be realistic about my own gaps in knowledge. To this end, I am constantly reading and seeking out opportunities in order to fill these gaps.
I read. Get into conversations. Participate in training and other events. Listen to music and words. Watch films.
Student Spotlights
My DUS-ES meetings with all of my peers and advisors were very impactful to my growth as a student, leader, and person. The friendships I made from DUS-ES turned out to be some of my closest friends, which in turn helped guide me to where I am today.
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Having safe spaces where you can interact with people that may or may not look like you, and engage in conversation and activity, makes you feel big at a smaller school.
Read morePartnerships
Connect to the multicultural coordinators in each college.
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Multicultural & Special Interest Organizations
Join one of over 70 multicultural student orgs.
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First-Generation College Students
Connect to 1st gen students, professionals, and advocates.
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Student Stories
Hear from our students; do you see yourself in their stories?
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Community & Belonging
There are many ways to be a Penn Stater. Let us help you build your community.
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Connect With Us
Connect with the DUS Diversity Team.
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Penn State’s Land Acknowledgement
Find out who lived on the land Penn State resides.
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An inclusive, diverse community is one where all experiences and perspectives are valued. Here in DUS, we want everyone to feel that they can share their stories openly and be accepted for who they are and how they see the world. It is through the inclusion of the broadest range of perspectives that we will find solutions to the many problems that confront our world. I encourage you to be yourself, to share your story with your adviser and others, and to join us in building a strong, inclusive community at Penn State.