Through the second annual Red, White & True faculty and staff giving initiative that kicked off at the University of Arkansas last week, employees can make a difference in the lives of students before they even arrive on campus. Gifts can help provide scholarships, which can ultimately determine whether or not the YOU of A is a realistic next step along someone’s educational journey. Gifts can also support programs that get middle school and high school students prepared for college.

Many of these outreach programs and initiatives are housed within the office of diversity affairs, led by vice provost Charles Robinson.

“There are some misconceptions about the focus and outreach of the diversity affairs office,” said Robinson. “Some believe that our primary goal is to recruit African American students. The reality is that we are focused on developing, recruiting and retaining students from every underrepresented and underserved population in Arkansas and beyond. We are also focused on faculty and staff. There truly is diversity within diversity, and we want to expand the entire landscape of this institution. There isn’t just one way to do that. It isn’t all black and white.”

The diversity affairs umbrella continues to grow, with five areas of campus now housed within the office.

The Center for Multicultural and Diversity Education in the Student Union celebrates unity and inclusiveness through community outreach, mentoring and scholarship. Their many programs inspire students to share ideas and resources for academic success while promoting mutual respect and equality. Students are encouraged to socialize and study in the newly redesigned space. The center is directed by Cedric Kenner.

College Access Initiative, led by Bryan Hembree and Leslie Yingling, provides Arkansas high school students with mentoring and tools to help improve ACT scores, ultimately leading to increased college access, readiness and retention.

Student Support Services, under the direction of Taj Cobbs, focuses on first-generation students who come from modest backgrounds and who have an academic need. Once accepted into the program, students meet regularly with a student development specialist who puts them in touch with appropriate campus resources and provides academic, personal, career and financial counseling.

Pre-College Programs, led by Keith Brink and Gina Ervin, comprises federally funded TRIO programs — namely Upward Bound and Talent Search — that collectively identify, challenge and enrich prospective college students to prepare them for the rigors of higher education. These initiatives focus on providing equal opportunity for potential first-generation college students who aspire to continue their education at the collegiate level. Eligibility requirements include, but are not limited to, having first-generation status and exhibiting academic potential.

Finally, under the direction of Luis Restrepo, La Oficina Latina’s main purpose is to help develop campuswide policies and initiatives for Latinos in terms of recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff, community outreach and advocacy. This office also serves as the primary liaison between the university and the Hispanic community.

There is no question these programs are making an impact. In the fall of 2009, 2,841 students at the university self-identified as minority ethnicities, including Asian, African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hawaiian, Pacific Islander or they self-identified with two or more races. By the fall of 2011, that number rose to 3,820. Increased private support makes higher education a greater reality for more students, and increased programming helps to get kids thinking about their futures at an earlier age. They are learning what it takes to get into college, they are learning about the University of Arkansas and they are learning that it can be the perfect place for them to succeed.

Please visit diversity.uark.edu to learn more about diversity programs at the university.

As you consider your involvement in this year’s effort, running through June 30, remember there are countless areas of campus that appreciate and need your support. Give to the area you are most passionate about, and make a difference today for the University of Arkansas.

More information on Red, White & True can be found here, or you may contact Merin Macechko, associate director of Annual Programs, at merin@uark.edu or 479-575-2280.