When we talk about diversity it is pretty much agreed by all that labels are a bad thing!  Unfortunately, when it comes to diversity awareness programs there is a stigma/label that most audience members use as an excuse for not attending.  Oh, that is going to be educational, or boring, or I have heard it all before, etc.  It’s tough to get past labels and peoples preconceived notions of what diversity awareness programming is all about.

I have seen where groups are so frustrated that they just do whatever to say they did something and that doesn’t do the group justice or the message they are trying to communicate.  Awareness can come in many forms on a campus and not with just a lecture or performance.  There is publicity campaigns like the truth ads you see on TV; displays that can be set up in libraries or lobbies; spontaneous round table discussions in dining halls by trained student facilitators; etc.

An idea that we recently tried for our diversity programming was to make it a performing arts series.  It was the same events just with a different name.  The audience still got the same message and materials.  What changed is how the programs were viewed before they arrived.  We saw an increase in the numbers of those attending and the feedback after the events was very favorable.

Do you believe that diversity awareness is locked into a mold?  Do you limit your awareness to the typical?  Do you pick awareness events on the criteria of what they need to know, what they want to know, or a combination?  Do you give awareness the same type of TLC as other events?  Do you feel forced to do diversity awareness programs?  Share your answers, your questions, and/or your successes in diversity programming.  In a meeting today I said I learn from everyone I meet no matter age, etc. and I believe that is what diversity awareness is all about learning from each other.

As much as we would all like to think that we are independent routine is what we enjoy in our life and helps us plan our lives.  Series programming has a number of benefits that seem to be lost sometimes as the word series brings up images of the same old, and boring, and repetitive, etc.  This of course is as far from reality as it can be if your series programs are done with intention.

A movie, coffeehouse, comedy, or performing arts series are all wonderful ways to build an audience.  One of the quotes I am always using is with quality comes quantity.  Meaning when you do a quality event your reputation builds and thus your audience grows too.  This is just one of the ways series programming can be used to help establish an office, committee, board, etc that maybe hosting these events.  Series work can establish creative long-range publicity methods.  Set up a tradition on campus.  Provide a method of progressive training for members and executives who are producing the events.  Create an atmosphere of school spirit.  Give a face-lift to an overused facility or event.

An idea for a comedy series is to label it Comedy Central Comes To (your campus name).  Then book several comedians over several months (the second Tuesday of each month for example) who have performed on Comedy Central, for those of us who are in the know that is almost every comedian that is on the college circuit.  You have added pop culture reference to your series that is familiar and appreciated by your audience.  Then run with it and do the creative inspirational programming that we all are capable of facilitating.

I could go on and on about series programming but we all learn best from each other.  Let’s share some examples of series programming that has worked in the past for you or maybe ideas you have for series programming for one reason or another you are unable to implement on your campus.  This type of programming is why television, movies, authors, music companies, etc are so successful and make money.  They build reputation, they build audience, they create expectations, and they build pride and competence.