KINGSTON, R.I. — March 22, 2017 — The fourth annual student-created D.I.V. E RI conference will take place at the University of Rhode Island on March 23-24, in several locations on the Kingston campus.

The student-led-conference, Diversifying Individuals Via Education (D.I.V.E. RI), promotes intercultural competence and inclusion with workshops, events and discussions. This year’s theme is “Untold Stories: A New Beginning” and will focus on enhancing student leadership and social change on college campuses.

The keynote speaker is Selenis Leyva, a Cuban-born American actress. She is known for her role as Gloria Mendoza in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black. The conference costs $20 for URI students and $25 for the general public. Tickets are still available for purchase.

Dayo Akinjisola, a URI junior political science and supply chain management major from Pawtucket is the founder of D.I.V.E. RI.

“Every single presentation and workshop is carefully crafted to inspire,” Akinjisola said.  It’s great to see how people take what they learn from D.I.V.E. RI and take action in their community to spark change. I want the conference to still be led by students who are persistent, who are fearless, and who continue to challenge the URI community to grow.”

Brianna Vega, a URI junior nursing major from Providence, helped plan the first conference her freshman year and is now the D.I.V.E. RI marketing chairwoman. “Growing up, my mother told me the one thing people can’t take away from you is your education. That’s why I’m here. To create a safe place for people where they can be educated about important topics.” Vega says. “Many of the issues in our country today are happening because we don’t listen to one another. Everyone wants to prove their point, but rarely do we take the time to try and understand each other. With D.I.V.E. RI, we have the time and place to understand and grow via education.”

When asked what the most rewarding part of the conference is, Vega said, “Every single person who attends leaves with a new perspective. It’s amazing to get to witness that.”

Naomi Thompson, associate vice president of Community Equity & Diversity said: “We are very proud of our students for initiating conversations on diversity with this event. It has been a wonderful experience for all — students helping students to broaden the understanding and discussions on diversity. This is a birthplace for leadership in diversity and our students are role models for their peers. With the controversy going on in our country today, this year’s D.I.V.E. RI Conference will be more relevant and beneficial than ever.”

Founded in 2015, this conference allows the URI community to explore topics on race and ethnicity in higher education. Last year more than 300 students from URI, Rhode Island College, Johnson & Wales University, the University of Connecticut and more experienced the lively event. It was such a success that many students from other institutions were inspired to create their own version of the conference for their campuses.

Joshua Reyes, an intern in the University’s Department of Marketing and Communication and a public relations major, wrote this release.