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Misericordia University to host Diversity Student Leadership Camp

DALLAS, Pa. – The Office of Multicultural Education at Misericordia University will host the 2014 Diversity Student Leadership Camp from June 15-21 on campus for high school students entering 10th, 11th and 12th grades. This year’s camp will focus on social and global concerns regarding the Earth, immigration, non-violence, anti-racism and women.

Camp sessions will help students define the role of the leader in a particular community, organization or situation, and analyze their personal values and how those values impact their leadership in their schools and communities. The camps also will increase awareness of community organizations and institutions that assist the community.

“Our hope is that the students who take part will learn how to become leaders and ambassadors for change through hands-on activism, empowerment workshops, team-building, self-reflection and service,” said camp director Maria B. Cabrera, multicultural student outreach coordinator, Office of Multicultural Education, Misericordia University. “We want them to be exposed to difference beyond the scope of media socialization. The message is ‘I am not different than you, I am different just like you!’ “

Throughout the week, the high school students will experience life on a university campus and stay in the Misericordia University residence halls.

During the session focused on the Earth, camp attendees will examine their impact on the environment. Students will spend the day at Francis Slocum State Park learning how to reduce their carbon footprint, how to produce less waste, how to become self-sustaining by planting a home vegetable garden and learning the importance of water conservation.

Park rangers and the conservation officers also will introduce them to environmentally related career options.

The immigration program will offer stories of immigrants and lessons about the history of immigration in the United States and the current immigration climate with the intent to encourage students to formulate an educated opinion about immigration reform.

The program on non-violence will involve youngsters from the Mineral Springs and McGlynn Learning Centers in Wilkes-Barre, and will offer activities that promote unity, problem solving, conflict resolution and activism. Campers will run a fair dedicated to advocating non-violence and a speaker from the Peace and Justice Center of Wilkes-Barre will discuss the many ways in which students can promote non-violence at their schools and in their community.

Anti-racism will be addressed by providing the attendees with the opportunity to learn about other cultures and religions throughout the Wyoming Valley. The students will hear from leaders of various houses of worship and take part in an interactive workshop focused on cultural diversity that challenges prejudice, stereotypes and misconception by inspiring respect, justice, and self-reflection.

The program on women will focus on promoting equality and justice for women in the community and raise awareness of community organizations that help women in Luzerne County. Students will learn about the Sisters of Mercy and their founding of Misericordia University in 1924 to educate women in the region.

They will learn about programs and services offered at Misericordia University and about Ruth’s Place, an emergency shelter for homeless women in Luzerne County.

On the last day of the camp, students will take part in service work to culminate their development as service leaders. Students will be able to interact with the Wilkes-Barre community by participating in the NAACP Annual Picnic on June 21 in Kirby Park, where they will help set up, serve meals, work with the games and activities, and assist with clean up.

For more information about the 2014 Diversity Student Leadership Camp at Misericordia University, please contact your high school’s guidance counselor or call Brenda Nowalis at 570-674-1483.

Founded and Sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy in 1924, Misericordia University is Luzerne County’s first four-year college and offers 34 degree programs on the graduate and undergraduate levels in full- and part-time formats. Misericordia University ranks in the top tier of the Best Regional Universities – North category of U.S. News and World Report’s 2014 edition of Best Colleges and was designated a 2014 Best Northeastern College by the Princeton Review.

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