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Students Reflect on Their Experiences with First Round of DEI Mini-Grants

By Rebecca Goldfine
Recipients of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾'s inaugural round of DEI mini-grants recently gathered for a dinner to discuss the diverse experiences they had this summer.

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾'s Center for Multicultural Life created the new funding program last year to provide students with small grants of either $250, $500, or $750 to explore an aspect of a culture, ethnicity, or their identity over the summer.

The Center encouraged students to pursue projects that would lead to their growth and enrichment, suggesting as possibilities that they visit museums, take classes, or go to art shows. After a competitive process, the program's advisors awarded twenty grants.

Student recipients interpreted the objective broadly. A couple attended conferences, others did visit museums. One went for a five-day solo hike on the Appalachian Trail, while another returned to his family's home in Mexico to enjoy daily life in Mexico City, especially with his abuelita

Maya Dowling-Wolfe, interim assistant director of identity and culture, said the students did great work with the resources and support of the program. “This grant was really significant in letting students explore their interests through personal stories, reflections, culture and social interactions which I find to be quite beautiful,” she added.

Below are excerpts from some of the students' written reflections on their experiences. 

twirling in a joropo skirt
Making Joropo Skirts
Yanevith Pena ’25: “In Venezuela, Joropo dance performances were a standard fixture of class activities in school. ...The opportunity that the DEI grant provided me was to learn about the origin of the llanera clothing style, and to experiment with new techniques to make an adjustable double circle skirt that will be perfect for Joropo dancing. I loved having the experience of doing something that my grandmother, great-grandmother, and many generations before me did for themselves and other girls and women in their lives.”
Visiting Museums
Learning more about the Black Community
Ruth Olujobi ’25: “During my summer break, I visited the African American Museum in Philadelphia and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York. ...As a Nigerian student who has only spent three years in the United States, I have realized that there are many historical moments and lessons about the African American community I still don’t know about. However, I am aware that the struggles, triumphs, progress, setbacks, and experiences of this community are important in shaping how I see the United States and the world in general, as well as vital for teaching me how I can be a better leader here on campus.”
Rania on the steps of a traditional building
Women's care work in Tanzania
Rania Janmohamed ’25: “I used the summer grant to better understand how Shia Imami Ismaili women in Tanzania in the 1900s supported their jamats (communities) in times of peace and conflict through our religion’s “ethic of service,” also known as seva. Seva is the collective voluntary responsibility of Ismailis to dedicate—in our own capacities—resources, time, and skills to improving our communities and societies at large. ...This experience opened the doors for future learning, story collecting, and understanding of the carework Ismaili women participated in.”
Standing in front of a rustic hut in the Arctic
Arctic Voyage
Henry Penfold ’26: “I applied for this grant with the goal of exploring what it means to be a student and researcher from ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ in Greenland in the current era and to help me consider my own role in the perpetuation of historical trends. ...I think that we can learn from [Arctic explorer] Robert Peary’s mistakes, as well as from the things that he did well. Peary’s open-mindedness and willingness to collaborate with the Greenlanders he met was admirable, as was his ability to emulate how they interacted with the Arctic environment. These are qualities that I strove to emulate as I spent this summer conducting vegetation research along the coast of Greenland.”
Hamda at the conference
Somaliland Professional Conference
Hamda Hussein ’25: “The Somaliland Professional Conference not only enriched my understanding of my cultural heritage but also provided me with invaluable professional insights and connections that will undoubtedly benefit my future endeavors. It provided me with the unique opportunity to meet and engage with young adults who, like myself, are navigating similar stages of life. ...In addition to connecting with peers, I had the privilege of meeting accomplished professionals who are excelling in their respective fields. Engaging with these individuals was one of the highlights of the conference, as they generously shared their experiences and offered valuable advice.”
Ben at a NY deli
Eating Kosher
Ben Israel ’25: “The mini grant funding brought me to the boroughs of New York City, where I immersed myself within the Kosher culinary scene. ...Coming from a small town in Maine, keeping Kosher—the Jewish tradition of food separation—was a very difficult task. ...In my time away from home, I have adventured beyond the borders of Kosher and, in some ways, it felt like a burden had been lifted. However, as I delve deeper into my heritage, my Kosher tradition remains a defining component of who I am. In visiting the Kosher culinary institutions of New York City, I found inspiration, personal growth, and joy in my identity.”
Adepoju at the conference
Transportation Equity

Adepoju Arogundade ’25: “I attended the 53rd Annual Conference of Minority Transportation Officials in Houston, Texas. This year’s conference theme was 'Transportation Equity: Meeting the Moment.' The resiliency of transit systems during environmental disruptions is an important topic that must be considered when planning, designing, constructing, and operating them. Storms will become more frequent with climate change, but individuals within populations will not experience the effects in the same manner. My degree at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ is a coordinate major between earth and oceanographic sciences and environmental studies. Both allow me to see the scientific aspects and human impacts of climate change and tie the two through an equity lens. Through the session, 'Equity and Access—Bridging the Gap with Technology,' I was able to explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence and mobile applications to make on-vehicle display boards accessible to non- or low-English proficient speakers, create paratransit services for disabled riders, and diversify ways to collect fares.”

The grants were funded by the Identity & Culture Centers (The Rachel Lord Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, the Sexuality, Women, and Gender Center, and the Center for Multicultural Life), THRIVE, Student Accessibility, and the Office of Inclusion and Diversity.