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Diversity Initiatives

Women's Initiative

“I Want For My Sister What I Want For Myself!” ~ Our Motto
The purpose of the Women’s Initiative is to provide a support network for all graduate and undergraduate women within the University community. We seek to help our students achieve personal and academic excellence through mentorship, campus involvement, and community service. The Women’s Initiative serves as a sister peer program to the Male Initiative and is open to any NSU student who identifies as a woman. Each semester, participants have opportunities to engage in transformative experiences designed to promote an appreciation for diversity and inclusive excellence, foster a sense of belonging, enhance, and develop leadership skills, and develop academically, professionally, and socially.

Group picture of members of the Women's Initiative program.

Major Programs
The Women’s Initiative hosts monthly meetings and sponsors programs throughout the semester in an effort to promote women’s empowerment, sisterhood, scholarship, and service. Our signature programs are listed below.

  • Charm School for Business and Professional Etiquette
  • “Say Her Name” Project
  • Annual Women’s Conference
  • Book Club

Society of Spartan Sisters Learning Community

Description
Society of Spartan Sisters LogoSociety of Spartan Sisters is a first-year learning community open for women of all majors. This LC is designed to provide  opportunities to construct powerful relationships to help develop a community of women on campus and assist first-year students with a successful transition to college life. Students living within this community will explore women’s issues and challenges women face in leadership roles and intentional high impact practices that foster a supportive environment through academic coursework, co-curricular activities, and civic engagement.

For more information about the NSU Women’s Initiative, please contact Dyonna Wilson, Diversity Initiatives Coordinator in the Office of Campus Life and Diversity. We are located in the Student Center, Suite 201. You can also reach us by email at campuslife-diversity@nsu.edu or telephone at (757) 785-3866.

Male Initiative

“We Are C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S.!” ~ Our Motto
The purpose of the Male Initiative is to provide a support network for all graduate and undergraduate men within the University community. We seek to help our students achieve personal and academic excellence through mentorship, campus involvement, and community service. The Male Initiative serves as a brother peer program to the Women’s Initiative and is open to any NSU student who identifies as a male.

The Male Initiative motto describes our commitment to values that shape leaders, decision-makers, fosters resiliency, and promotes advocacy for others and those in our communities. We strive for excellence, are committed to excellence, take pride in everything we do, and we work hard to ensure the story being told about us has the narrative from our deliberate self-authorship.

Character. Honor. Ambition. Manhood. Purpose. Integrity. Opportunity. Narrative. Success.
A photo of members of the Male Initiative Program

Male Initiative Learning Community

Description

MENtality is a first-year learning community open for men of all majors. This LC is designed to provide opportunities to construct powerful relationships to help develop a community of brotherhood on campus and assist first-year students with a successful transition to college life. Students living within this community will have opportunities to engage in transformative experiences designed to promote an appreciation for diversity and inclusive excellence, foster a sense of belonging, enhance, and develop leadership skills, and develop academically, professionally, and socially.

For more information about the NSU Male Initiative, please contact Dyonna Wilson, Diversity Initiatives Coordinator in the Office of Campus Life and Diversity. We are located in the Student Center, Suite 201. You can also reach us by email at campuslife-diversity@nsu.edu or telephone at (757) 785-3866.

Major Programs
The Male Initiative hosts monthly meetings and sponsors programs throughout the semester in an effort to promote leadership, brotherhood, scholarship, and service. Our signature programs are listed below.

  • Barbershop Talk Series
  • MENtality Academy for Business and Professional Etiquette
  • Annual Men’s Conference
  • The Brotherhood Connection

LGBTQIA+ Initiative

The purpose of the LGBTQIA+ Initiative is to provide a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive campus environment for students who identify as gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, or who do not fit into the gender binary, and allies.  Each semLGBTQIA+ Flagester, students are provided opportunities to connect and foster a sense of belonging as part of a safe, inclusive, and supportive community. Students are welcome to help create and attend programs and events designed to explore the history of the LGBTQIA+ community, encourage self-care and well-being, educate others about current issues impacting the LGBTQIA+ community and available resources, and participate in activities which promote social justice advocacy. Through intentional transformative experiences, the LGBTQIA+ Initiative seeks to promote an appreciation for diversity and inclusive excellence, foster a sense of belonging, enhance students’ leadership skills, and help students develop academically, professionally, and socially.

LGBTQIA+ Learning Community

DescriptionSpectrum Program Photo
SPECTRUM Learning Community is a first-year learning community open to all students, regardless of identity or major. Students living in this community will explore topics of gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual health, civic engagement, and social justice in a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment. This community serves as a collaborative resource to create access, belonging, and community to promote student success by establishing a safe space for LGBTQIA+ or Ally identified students on campus.

FoSpectrum Photor more information about the LGBTQIA+ Initiative, please contact Dyonna Wilson, Diversity Initiatives Coordinator in the Office of Campus Life and Diversity. We are located in the Student Center, Suite 201. You can also reach us by email at campuslife-diversity@nsu.edu or telephone at (757) 785-3866.

Major Programs
The LGBTQIA+ Initiative hosts monthly meetings and sponsors programs throughout the semester in an effort to promote diversity awareness, equity, inclusion, and social justice. Our signature programs are listed below.

  • PRIDE Week (Fall and Spring)
  • National Day of Silence
  • National Coming Out Day
  • Annual LGBTQIA+ Conference

Spartan Leadership Initiative

The Spartan Leadership Initiative (SLI) is designed to provide students with opportunities to explore leadership development and concepts, both in-and-out of the classroom. Our aim is to help students discover and develop their personal capacity to lead effectively and inclusively. Using the Social Change Model of Leadership, we are committed to creating a culture of student engagement, brave spaces for critical dialogue and learning, and opportunities for students to develop, feel empowered to lead from an inclusive, global perspective, and to foster a desire to cultivate positive social change.
The foundation of the Spartan Leadership Initiative is based on the Social Change Model of Leadership and its 7 C’s:

  1. Consciousness of Self        
  2. Common Purpose
  3. Congruence            
  4. Controversy with Civility
  5. Commitment            
  6. Collaboration
  7. Citizenship

Spartan Leadership Learning Community

Description
The Spartan Leadership Learning Community is a first-year learning community open to students of all majors. This LC is designed to provide opportunities for students to engage in theoretical frameworks which support self-authorship, leadership development, and social change. Students living within this community will have opportunities to engage in transformative experiences designed to help them determine their leadership style, develop a leadership philosophy, engage in service learning/civic engagement, and promote the principles of social justice advocacy, equity, diversity, and inclusion from a global perspective.

For more information about the Spartan Leadership Initiative, please contact Dyonna Wilson, Diversity Initiatives Coordinator in the Office of Campus Life and Diversity. We are located in the Student Center, Suite 201. You can also reach us by email at campuslife-diversity@nsu.edu or telephone at (757) 785-3866.
    
Major Programs
The Spartan Leadership Initiative sponsors collaborative programs throughout the semester in an effort to promote leadership, inclusive excellence, scholarship, service, and advocacy. Our signature programs are listed below.

  • LeaderShape
  • Etiquette Dinner
  • Greek Student Conference
  • Leadership Retreat