The Diaspora Institute is a semester long leadership experience that is centered on under-represented cultures.  Through weekly sessions, students are exposed to cultural discovery, leadership models, practices of past leaders of color, contemporary social and pollitical issues, and provided opportunities to explore current needs of various cultural communities. Additionally, students participate in broad cultural and community experiences outside of the Penn State campus. The institute experience is diverse in its approach to expose and to educate students about culturally based leadership and community connectedness.  Students engage in the following activities:

(1) Cultural Leadership Course Sessions: Sessions meet for three hours each week.  The session content is explored through reading texts, viewing films, guest presentations from various campus officials, and group activities/discussions. 

(2) Cultural Journey: Once per semester, students travel to another university outside of the Penn State system to engage in a weekend cultural immersion and leadership experience. 

(3) Leadership Engagement: As part of the institute experience, students participate in the campus-wide Student Affairs Leadership Summit as well as one of the leadership development sessions sponsored by the Center for Student Engagement.

(4) Cultural Engagement: Students attend several campus cultural performances/education programs.

(5) Community Challenge Project: Students’ final project focuses on creating a community action proposal that could be used to work in their local or an international community. The PRCC provides small seed funding for those students interested in implementing their projects.