Diversity Peer Educators

Rutgers community members (students, faculty, staff) may request Diversity Peer Educators to facilitate a workshop about the following topics by submitting a program request form.

Questions can be directed to ru.dpe@rutgers.edu.

Power & Privilege

This session will allow students to separate the terms power and privilege and learn what they mean in relation to their own identity. Through thoughtful reflection and discussion students will come away from this session with knowledge on how they can use the power they have to confront oppression and internal/external biases.

Race in America

This session will discuss how racial identities play a big role in our society. Students will discuss the first time they noticed racial differences and how those earliest messages shape their thoughts and views today. Students will leave the space understanding how they can use what they have learned to help those that face racial discrimination in their daily lives.

Gender in Society: Trans Identity

This session will create a space for students to have a dialogue regarding transgender identity and transphobia. Students in this session will walk away with a greater understanding of gender identity, what it means to be Trans, and the various forms of biases and transphobia that are ingrained in American culture and society.

Gender in Society: Feminism

This session will challenge beliefs around what feminism looks like, who it is for, and why it is important by looking at it through a critical lens. Students will partake in an engaging discussion on topics around feminism such as gender roles and expectations, groups that have been historically left out of the feminist movement, and how toxic masculinity and toxic femininity play into these perceptions.

Immigration in America

This session will take a step back to look at the roots of immigration in the U.S. to learn in what ways this narrative has changed in today’s society. Students will walk away from this session with a multiple perspectives of what immigration in the United States looks like and learn ways to challenge the current narrative around immigration.

Diversity in the Media

This session will take a look at representation in the media and the biases that are perpetuated in the content. An understanding of tokenism, queerbaiting and whitewashing will be center to the discussion as we reflect on the aspects of media history.

Mental Health & You

This session will highlight the importance of mental health wile unpacking some of the stigmas and on-gong discrimination practices. Resources about mental health help will also be shared.

Police Brutality

This session will talk about the different types of police brutality and who it adversely affects in our society. A discussion will be led on the nuances of this topic in our society.

Diversity Across Faith, Religion & Justice

This session will explore how different faiths represent themselves and how faith-based institutions are viewed in society.

America: An Indigenous & Native Land

This session will explore the history of the land we occupy. Through this exploration we will unpack colonization practices and the impacts it had and continues to have on Native folks.

Courageous Conversations

This is an opportunity for you host an open discussion session where you can work with us to develop a DPE-facilitated dialogue on a current event topic. We will follow up on your ideas to coordinate this session.

Submit a Program Request Form

The application will close on December 6, 2024 at 11:59 pm, however the priority deadline is October 14 at 11:59 pm.

If you would like more information about the DPE program or the application process, please contact ru.dpe@rutgers.edu.

Submit an Application

• Be a full-time Rutgers University–New Brunswick student
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75
• Be in good academic and judicial standing at the time of application and for the duration of employment

• Organize and execute at least four workshops/sessions per semester
• Develop and facilitate an open dialogue session
• Attend bi-weekly DPE meetings
• Participate in social media campaigns
• Be available for other duties as needed, such as open/drop-in hours, planning meetings, professional development sessions, and scheduled retreats

DPEs will utilize their training in basic facilitation skills to engage participants in brave conversations. They will guide debrief discussions on a chosen topic and challenge participants to take what is learned into their communities across campus.

DPEs must complete a training course and online training modules.

DPE Course In Detail

The DPEs will go through a curriculum-based training course to prepare for their role. This training will be a mandatory course that will meet once a week. The course will consist of a series of activities, discussions, readings, and writings that will be used to expand the knowledge of systemic and systematic oppression of traditionally marginalized identity groups and develop facilitation skills. At the completion of the course, DPEs will work to develop programs for their respective functional areas.

DPEs may potentially have the opportunity to utilize the required course and experiences as a DPE in their pursuit of a social justice minor in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies.

The Social Justice Minor is designed to introduce students to the complexity of social justice issues, cultivate their capacity to identify key determinants of structural inequities, familiarize them with various social justice practices and strategies, and prepare them for advocacy and activism to address these pressing issues.

The Social Justice Minor draws upon resources in multiple academic units, disciplines, and interdisciplinary programs to involve students in ongoing struggles to define and achieve social justice locally and globally. Through individual courses that incorporate service learning, as well as internships, study abroad, and alternative spring break experiences, students are encouraged to recognize injustice and work to eradicate it. Among the manifold dimensions of injustice, the social justice minor pays particular attention to modes of exploitation, marginalization, structural and physical violence, and cultural imperialism that produce systems of advantage and disadvantage. Students who complete the 18-credit program will learn to think analytically, integrate social justice theory and practice, identify structural constraints and trace their operation across social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental terrains, understand the effects of various social and economic policies on the scope and intensification of inequality, and grasp the complex interrelation of local and global justice issues.

If you are interested in developing your cultural competencies and ability to have difficult conversations, ask about the DPE Course!

Adapted from the social change model, this course challenges its participants to engage in difficult conversations, challenge inequity in systems and create a learning session for peers to engage in a passion project area centered on a social justice topic.

If you are a student leader or aspiring student leader, this course can help you develop your skills in leading discussions about identity topics. As we center traditionally marginalized identities, the course uses reflective writing, historical frameworks, and discussion techniques to create learning opportunities that facilitate socially just practices.

Use this course toward a Social Justice Minor!

The Diversity Peer Educators program is coordinated through the Center for Social Justice Education and LGBT Communities and the Department of Residence Life.

If you have specific questions, please contact Darnell Thompson, assistant director of the Center for Social Justice Education & LGBT Communities. You can also email ru.dpe@rutgers.edu for general questions and inquiries.

View the Student Affairs Diversity Statement.