Two University students have made their yearlong vision a reality by creating one of the University's newest Contracted Independent Organizations, Concentus, a group devoted to understanding and examining the differences among the University community.
Concentus's mission is "to promote a greater understanding of peoples and their similarities through an examination of their differences," Consentus co-founder and vice president Matt Pritchard said.
"Diversity seemed not to have the depth that we'd hoped when we first arrived at the University," Pritchard said. "Attitudes toward diversity weren't improving, and there seemed to be a lack of knowledge and conversation between different groups."
Concentus, Latin for harmony, hopes to bring together students of a wide variety of poltical ideologies, socioeconomic backgrounds, origins, sexual orientations and religious concerns, Pritchard said.
While many University organizations committed to promoting diversity are thought of as politically liberal, Concentus also wants to focus on a wide range of political ideologies, Pritchard said.
Other organizations like UNiTE and the Committee of Religious and Ethnic Affairs have the same mission of promoting diversity, Secretary Katy Bauer said.
Their scope, however, is not as broad as Concentus, Bauer said.
"We overlap some, but Concentus has a wider mission statement because we're not focusing strictly on cultural diversity," said Pritchard.
Aisha Lloyd, UNiTE co-founder and president-external, said she thinks it is wonderful that there are now more diversity awareness groups at the University.
Lloyd said she does not see many differences between the two groups since UNiTE's definition of culture is not just confined to one's ethnicity but instead is any unique aspect of one's self.
She said she is excited to work with the new group in the future and wishes it the best of luck in its first year of existence.
Since Concentus is a young organization, it is working actively to increase membership. Current members talked with interested students at the Winter Activities Fair and held a joint reception with the Sisterhood of Young Asians on Feb. 4 where they received a lot of good feedback, Bauer said.
Read More
Students have federal internship offers rescinded due to hiring freeze
By Nina Broderick | YesterdayUntil July 15, no presently vacant federal civilian positions may be filled, and no new positions may be created.
Man dies from self-inflicted gunshot wounds at the Rotunda
By Ford McCracken | YesterdayThe investigation is ongoing, and additional details are not available at this time.
Virginia primary elections feature contested race for Democratic Lt. Gov. candidate
By Nicolas Biernacki | 2 days agoEligible voters can find more information about early voting by consulting the City Department of Voter Registration & Elections website or the County Department of Elections website.
