DIVERSITY DAY'S DEEP IMPACT

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By Kris Bauer ’15

Growing up on the remote high plains of Colorado, I had few encounters with people sharing different world views than my own. But my time at Regis Jesuit helped expose me to a wealth of diverse and unique perspectives that greatly expanded my understanding of cultures separate from my own. Through experiences like Diversity Day, participating in the Diversity Action Group (DAG) and helping found an initiative to support a women’s homeless shelter in Denver, I learned important lessons on how to become a more open and inclusive member of society.

From my freshman-year experiences attending Diversity Day, it became an event I looked forward to each year. I was amazed at the numbers of people who came willing to share their stories, cultures and worldviews with myself and my peers. It gave some of my closest friends and mentors the opportunity to share pieces of themselves I would have never known about otherwise. Without Diversity Day, I would have never understood that the unique perspective of every student made Regis Jesuit the distinct community that it is.

Along with Diversity Day, my time in DAG was foundational to my success in helping teach K-12 and higher education classes after graduation. Since graduating from RJ, I pursued a career in climate research where I am constantly working and educating different communities about how the planet is changing. Giving presentations on the importance of diversity and inclusion to my peers through DAG was foundational to me becoming an effective communicator and teacher. What was so special about the club was that it seemed like no two people within it were the same. I began to understand that even my story of growing up selling horse equipment in rural Colorado had value in RJ’s diverse community of students. As a collective group, we brought forth new perspectives that strengthened our bonds to one another, whether we were on retreat or at a home game cheering on the Raiders.

Perhaps the most noteworthy experience for me was leading a group of young men and women to serve at a women’s homeless shelter in Denver. With the support of RJ faculty, specifically Ms. Vela, organizer of both Diversity Day and DAG, we prepared beds for 20-30 women without stable housing, served them dinner and, most importantly, shared those meals with them. This club gave both my friends and me the chance to not only help those in need but to hear their stories as well.

There is no doubt that the lessons learned through these experiences of being with and for Others were instrumental in my success after graduation. As a climate scientist and educator, it’s imperative that I am aware of how different populations of people learn and share information. While my understanding of diversity and inclusion has certainly grown since my time as a Raider, the foundation laid pushed me to become a more effective student and employee from the moment I left Regis Jesuit High School.
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By Nick Tyng '15

When asked about their favorite moments from Regis Jesuit, I would argue that most recent graduates would say Kairos. Some would say their Service Projects, others, supporting athletics and the performing arts and almost everyone would say the gooey Otis Spunkmeyer cookies during office hours. However, one of my favorite memories comes from Diversity Day.

Diversity Day offered an opportunity for interacting with new communities I might otherwise not have, tasting new foods and experiencing common ground. My sister, Katrina and I got to partake in the “Adoption Panel” with other students, staff and faculty speaking about our shared and different experiences of being adopted. It was a way for me to connect with my peers and teachers in a way that I hadn’t before.

The other workshops reflected everyone’s diverse interests, beliefs and practices. Diversity Day represents a paradox celebrating how unique we are next to our shared commonality. It is an exciting day where we respect each other’s differences, listen, empathize, smile and laugh together. It is a chance to be open to growth and offers a great lesson outside the normal routine of school to seize every opportunity to interact with diverse populations whenever you have the chance.

As a student at Regis University, I had the great experience of spending a semester abroad in Valencia, Spain. I found great common ground with individuals throughout my travels. In an Irish pub in Limerick, Ireland, I found it through musicians singing John Denver’s Country Road after I told them I was from Colorado. I found it waiting for an audience with Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square next to students from another Jesuit school. I found it celebrating an early, impromptu birthday in Jerusalem with friends and strangers alike. All very different moments of fellowship with different people, yet experiences that remind me of one of the underlying messages from Diversity Day—we are all unique and distinct individuals who have more in common than we thought.

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