Stephanie Tran

Project Portfolio Description

The SAIL Program here at the University of Oregon. SAIL, which stands for “Summer Academy to Inspire Learning” is a pre-college summer program aimed to inspire middle and high school students from low socioeconomic, first-generation and underrepresented backgrounds from across the state of Oregon to pursue, enroll and succeed in higher education. By providing first hand experiences with faculty, volunteers, college student mentors and university campus resources, pre-college students can get a feel of what it would be like to attend college.

For my senior project, I will create a training manual intended to educate students and staff alike about diversity awareness and the importance of inclusivity on college campuses. Universities and colleges that put effort into recognizing the importance of diversity on campus give students (and faculty) a more fulfilling college experience. Educational interactions among racially and ethnically diverse student bodies showed positive learning outcomes, an increased awareness of diversity, better social skills, and more motivation to stay engaged in school. It was also proven that students who have chosen to attend more diverse colleges have stronger critical thinking skills, exceptional writing skills, and efficient problem solving skills. When incorporating diversity, the diverse cultural perspectives can inspire students to be more creative and drive innovation.

 This project should fulfill the gap of students of diverse/cultural backgrounds to feel more welcome and a better sense of belonging on campus. With the right resources and support given, these students can succeed in their first year of college and spread awareness and inclusivity across whichever campus they end up on, which is the outcome goal of this project.