Most students haven’t heard the term ‘recess’ in over eight years. In a leadership conference addressing religion, ethnicity, cultural education, sexual & social issues (RECESS), the Office of Multicultural and International Student Services is looking to raise awareness on college campuses across the state.The RECESS leadership conference, which takes place Feb. 22-23 in the Lowman Student Center Ballroom, targets diversity issues college students are faced with on a daily basis. “We feel diversity education is important, especially when 25 percent of the students on campus are of minority status,” Ashley McDonough, program coordinator for Multicultural and International Student Services said. “The issues we bring up are important to talk about and I think not talking about them brings more of a hinderence.”The two-day conference is filled with keynote speakers, student and professor presentations along with networking opportunities. The speakers come from outside institutions to discuss how they personally overcame diversity to achieve success in life and business.”We try to look outside the box from just race,” president Rebeca Ocadiz said. “We look at gender, religion, sexual and social topics and even handicaps, which people usually don’t consider a diversity issue.”Faculty and staff are encouraged to sign to present at the
are 15 slots open for professors and students looking to broaden attendee’s knowledge of diversity. “We’re wanting to raise awareness because in our everyday world, we’re faced with all these issues,” Ocadiz said. “We want to educate them and let them form their own opinion.”Last year’s conference was host to almost 200 Texas college students and this year, members of MISS are expecting an even larger turnout.”People from out of state colleges are asking us about attending,” McDonough said. “I think it’s great that the conference is getting national acclaim.”Students looking to attend the RECESS conference can register starting Thursday through Feb. 22. Registration tables will be set up today and next Wednesday in the mall area from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those who register before Feb. 8 will bypass the $50 registration fee and attend the conference free of charge.”People are going to take what they learned at this conference and take it back to their campuses,” Ocadiz said. “Little by little, we can make a different and possibly give them a new way of thinking.”