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DPEs: Leaders on campus trained to promote inclusion

Taylor Carito
Connector Editor

With an open application for all students, whether they are undergraduate, international, or graduate, Diversity Peer Educators (DPE) are a group of student leaders prepared to help others. This group of 20 to 30 students appear at countless events and serve as outlets for students to have conversations with.

DPEs attend an extensive two-day training that is created around the diversity of the students. They discuss and open up about important issues, as well as have hard conversations about race, gender, bullying, acceptance, sexual orientation and several other things that students experience first-hand on campus. “It is a really personal training, people share stories,” says Michelle Zohlman, coordinator for the program.

Outside of the training, DPEs are encouraged, but not required, to attend several events hosted by the Multicultural Affairs Office to advance their diversity and understanding of others. They even exercise their leadership in things outside of UMass Lowell such as hosting vigils and other off-campus events.

DPEs strive to make a difference and increase diversity among students, and are trained to have hard conversations that wouldn’t necessarily be had otherwise. “Their whole purpose is for helping others,” says Zohlman.“They’re students in the classroom…and [they] learn about others, and learn about [themselves].” The DPEs attend an extensive two day training at the beginning of each semester that is tailored to the diversity of the DPEs themselves and issues that pertain to the student body.

Only 20-30 applicants are accepted into the program per semester. In addition to the generalized program, there is a “DPE 2.0” which is more centralized on specific issues and involves more facilitation than a grand overview. Zohlman said, “It fills up every year, which is why we made [DPE 2.0].” Several club leaders, residence life advisors, and other students in leadership participate in the program, but it is not exclusive. According to Zohlman, “the program has a big following,” which is due to all students who participate to increase diversity and understanding on and around campus.

Overall, DPEs serve an important role to the student body as outlets and people who are prepared to have hard conversations. They are mentors, leaders, and friends to all students. Anyone who is interested in applying to be a DPE can find the application on the Multicultural Affairs website, or contact Zohlman for more information regarding the process, training, and overall meaning of being a DPE.

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