DICE- Diversity, Inclusion, Community, & Equity
DICE– Diversity, Inclusion, Community, & Equity
We envision a community where human difference is affirmed and integrated into
the intellectual, personal, and professional development of all students.
The BRIDGE (Building Relationships in Diverse Gonzaga Environments) program is designed with the awareness that students who hold marginalized identities sometimes face bigger barriers in finding comfort in college environments for a variety of reasons. The BRIDGE program is dedicated to helping students find their niche and obtain the tools they need to be successful students during their time at Gonzaga.
BRIDGE invites incoming first-generation, low income, minority identified, and LGBTQ+ students to participate in a week-long program which helps with the transition into university and community life while becoming leaders of change. Students who attend BRIDGE get the opportunity to make friends, familiarize themselves with Gonzaga’s campus resources, and learn about relevant contemporary topics. We educate our students through seminars and workshops that focus on diversity, inclusion, and cultural engagement. BRIDGE seeks to develop well-rounded individuals and outstanding student leaders.
The program provides an inclusive, safe space which will enable students to grow holistically. Participants are able to meet people of similar identities, creating an ongoing community that lasts even after graduation. This community establishes a support system that aids them in their pursuit of a higher education.
BRIDGE has many perks, including being able to move into one’s residence hall early and have lots of fun social activities throughout the week. During the course of five days, students go through a variety of activities and sessions that are led by B-Core, staff, faculty, and student counselors! During the week of BRIDGE, students explore campus, establish a network of support from different offices, and create social relationships with other new incoming students and upperclassmen. The B-Core team spends the summer diligently planning the training for their counselors to ensure that a safe community and space is created during students’ time at BRIDGE. B-Core hopes that this allows students to truly take the most from the activities and sessions that range from academic support, study habits, team building, and identity development and exploration.
BRIDGE Counselors/Mentors and B-Core are student leaders who give their time and effort to create an environment that is welcoming and safe for all students. The relationships they build with the new students during BRIDGE will continue throughout the students’ first year. In addition, BRIDGE will challenge students to think critically about unjust systems that are present in society, allowing them to be well informed and nurtured in creating a better tomorrow through social justice leadership.
BRIDGE is the place where questions are asked and answered, the place where identities are discovered, claimed, and expanded, and the community that quickly becomes a family. If your student is interested in participating, have any questions, or would like to sign up, then contact the UMEC (Unity Multicultural Education Center) Office at 509-313-5836 or UMEC@gonzaga.edu. Register here. The registration deadline is June 8th. Spots are limited.