Ways to Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved in diversity-related efforts around campus, whether you are a student, faculty, or staff member at KU. There are also several ways for community members at large to be involved in these efforts. We welcome everyone to events that are open to the public.

You'll see KU's commitment to diversity not just in the organizations that you expect to see it in. Diversity is also a large part of the programming efforts of our campus activities office and student programming board.

Jerry Schearer, Chief Diversity Officer

• Institutional Climate Committee

  More information on the Institutional Climate Committee available here.

• Commission on Human Diversity

  More information on the Commission on Human Diversity available here.

• Commission on the Status of Minorities

  More information on the Commission on the Status of Minorities available here.

• Commission on the Status of Women

  More information on the Commission on the Status of Women available here.

• Residence Life Social Justice Committee

  More information on the Residence Life Social Justice Community available here.

• IDEA Committee

  More information on the Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity in Athletics (IDEA) Committee available here.

• Achievement Initiative for Male Success (AIMS)

  We are a supportive community who provides networks to refine our male students and help them prosper and thrive as scholars, allies, and young men.  We are committed to foster success by assisting in defining our young male students' purpose, cultivating male bonding, and equipping them for viable leadership on campus and the greater community.

  Our mission is to provide a support network for male students on and off campus and improve the male experience through the development of academic, personal, and social skills to stimulate the retention and graduation rates of our young men.

  Advisors: Bilal Salaam, Assistant Men's Basketball Coach and Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Officer, and Jerry Schearer, Assistant VP & Dean of Students/Chief Diversity Officer

  AIMS on Engage.

• ALLIES

  Allies seeks to advocate, educate, increase awareness, and provide a safe social and support network to Kutztown University's lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and queer community. We provide a safe, social, support network to advocate for LGBTQ+ persons and straight allies who are students, staff, alumni, or faculty of Kutztown University. We strive to educate members, students, staff, and faculty of Kutztown University and the community about discrimination and oppression of LGBTQ+ individuals, increase awareness and acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons and issues to create and ensure cooperation and unity among the Kutztown University community.

  Email: lgbtqresourcecenter@kutztown.edu

  Advisor: Christine Price, Director of LGBTQ+ Resource Center

  ALLIES on Engage.

• Best Buddies

  Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We strive to create friendships between our college students and members within the community. You are matched with a buddy and are responsible for hanging out with them, talking with them and making them feel included. A great opportunity for ALL MAJORS and a great way to meet new friends! These friendships will last a lifetime!

  Email: kutztownbb@gmail.com

  Advisor: Kyleigh Ivory, Assistant Professor of Special Education

  Best Buddies on Engage.

• Black Student Union (BSU)

  We serve as a common bond for all students of color while maintaining inclusiveness of all students through identification with the organization. We encourage and promote black excellence through events and educated discussions. 

  Advisor: Thomas Robinson, Assistant Professor of Psychology

  Black Student Union on Engage.

• Braille Bears

  Braille Bears strives to spread awareness to the community about blindness/visual impairments. This is done through community service, projects, and much more. You do not have to have any prior knowledge to join this club! 

  Advisor: Nicole Johnson, Professor of Special Education

  Braille Bears on Engage.

• Chinese Students and Scholars Associations (CSSA)

  CSSAKU is the organization of students, faculty and staff who are from China originally or who are interested in Asian cultures at Kutztown University. The purpose of this organization is to promote the multiculturalism on campus and strengthen the understanding and friendship between people of different cultural origins and backgrounds.

  Advisor: Yishen Lai, Instructor of Modern Languages

  CSSA on Engage.

• Coalition for Disabled Students

  This is a group that centers disabled experiences and works to create a more accessible and inclusive campus environment through education, advocacy, and providing disabled people with a safe space.

  Coalition for Disabled Students on Engage.

• Cru

  Cru is a community where the gospel captures hearts, transforms lives, and launches men and women into a lifelong adventure with Jesus Christ. We love Jesus…plain and simple. It’s because he is so great that we strive to be a community of students on mission. This is played out by loving and serving others in various ways on our campus, in our community, and around the world. Founded in 1951, Cru has expanded to thousands of campuses in the US and to more than 190 countries around the world. We are excited to be a part of this great movement, and trust that God will do great work at Kutztown for many years to come.

  Email: cru@kutztown.edu

  Advisor: Yong Zhang, Professor of Computer Science & Information Technology

  Cru on Engage.

• Delta Alpha Pi

  Delta Alpha Pi is an honor society for students who are registered with the DSO and/or self-identify as an individual with a disability and meet academic criteria.

  Advisor: Amber Leidy, Assistant Director Assistive & Computer Technology at Disability Services

  Delta Alpha Pi on Engage.

• Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA)

  FMLA is an activist group which focuses on issues such as self-empowerment, gender equality, freedom of choice, domestic violence and sexual abuse. FMLA was originally started as the Women's Awareness Group in the 1970s and is now a student organization funded by the SGA and directed by student officers through the Kutztown Women's Center. Every year the group sponsors The Vagina Monologues and Take Back the Night Rally and March. We hold campus-wide programming, fund-raising efforts to non-profit community organizations, and attend conference leadership development opportunities. New members are always welcome!

  Feminism: The belief that people of all genders should be treated equally socially, politically and economically

  Email: fmla@kutztown.edu

  Advisor: Christine Price, Director of Women's Center and LGBTQ+ Resource Center

  FMLA on Engage.

• German Student Organization (GSO)

  The German Students Organization (GSO), welcomes anyone with interest in German, Austrian and Swiss language and culture. No language experience is required to join. You can learn or practice your German skills with us at our unique cultural events!

  Email: kugso@kutztown.edu

  Advisor: Gregory Hanson, Associate Professor of Modern Languages

  GSO on Engage.

• HerCampus

  Her Campus is the #1 new-media brand for the empowered college woman. Written entirely by the world's top college journalists – with 7,000+ contributors and counting – HerCampus.com features national Style, Beauty, Health, Love, Life, Career, Entertainment, News, DIY, LGBTQ+, High School, and After College content supplemented by local content from 300+ campus chapters nationwide and in nine countries. In addition, Her Campus offers an email newsletter, The InfluenceHer Collective, High School Ambassador Program, Her Conference®, Her Conference®: High School, College Fashion Week®, Her Campus Shop, The Her Campus Guide to College Life, and even more products, programming, tools, and events to fulfill its mission of serving college women across every platform. Her Campus serves as a career launching point for its team of college journalists. Since joining the Her Campus Team, members have been offered jobs and internships with Glamour, Vogue, Buzzfeed, Vanity Fair, Seventeen, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, People, The Huffington Post, Teen Vogue, InStyle, Esquire, O magazine, MTV, The Washington Post, Digitas, Ogilvy, and many more.

  Advisor: Colleen Clemens, Professor of English

  HerCampus on Engage.

• International Student Organization (ISO)

  We are here to promote multiculturalism. We wish to do this by giving international students a community, by giving domestic students multicultural experiences, and connecting international and domestic students together.

  Email: intga@kutztown.edu 

  Advisors: Lacey Wismer, Assistant Director of International Admissions & Services

  ISO on Engage.

• Jewish Kutztown Student Union

  Jewish Kutztown Student Union's mission is to enrich the lives of Jewish undergraduate and graduate students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world. JKSU welcomes an inclusive environment for Jewish college students, where they are encouraged to grow intellectually, spiritually and socially. JKSU helps students find a balance in being distinctively Jewish and universally human by encouraging them to pursue tzedek (social justice), tikkun olam (repairing the world) and Jewish learning, and to support Israel and global Jewish peoplehood. JKSU is committed to excellence, innovation, accountability and results.

  Email: hillel@kutztown.edu 

  Advisor: Jeffrey Diamond, Assistant Professor of History

  JKSU on Engage.

• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity

  Kappa Alpha Psi, a college Fraternity, now comprised of functioning Undergraduate and Alumni Chapters on major campuses and in cities throughout the country, is the crystallization of a dream. It is the beautiful realization of a vision shared commonly by the late Revered Founders Elder Watson Diggs, "The Dreamer"; John Milton Lee ; Byron K. Armstrong; Guy Levis Grant; Ezra D. Alexander; Henry T. Asher; Marcus P. Blakemore; Paul W. Caine; Edward G. Irvin and George W. Edmonds. It was the vision of these astute men that enabled them in the school year 1910 - 11, more specifically the night of January 5, 1911, on the campus of Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana, to sow the seed of a fraternal tree whose fruit is available to, and now enjoyed by, college men everywhere, regardless of their color, religion or national origin. It is a fact of which KAPPA ALPHA PSI is justly proud that the Constitution has never contained any clause which either excluded or suggested the exclusion of a man from membership merely because of his color, creed, or national origin. The Constitution of KAPPA ALPHA PSI is predicated upon, and dedicated to, the principles of achievement through a truly democratic Fraternity.

  Advisor: Derek Mace, Assistant Professor of Psychology

  Kappa Alpha Psi on Engage.

• Kutztown Christian Fellowship (KCF)

  We are a community of Christian students on Kutztown University's campus. Through evangelism, Bible study, and one-on-one mentorship, we seek to "make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19) starting right here at KU. We invite you to join us and experience deep fellowship with Christians, grow in your knowledge of the Bible, and become an equipped laborer for God's Kingdom so that you can impact the world after college!

  Advisor: Joseph Jedwab, Associate Professor of Philosophy

  Kutztown Christian Fellowship on Engage.

• Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity

  Lambda Theta Phi's mission is to cultivate a brotherhood, to value an education, to promote unity, to assert roles of leadership, to develop character, to practice chivalry, and to serve mankind. Lambda Theta Phi seeks visionary leaders who support its values of scholarship, respect for all cultures, community service, and the advancement and fair treatment of Latino's in the United States. Lambda strives to recruit resilient individuals with a commitment to excellence. 

  Advisor: Michael Arias, Assistant Director Customer Service & Student Engagement at Financial Aid Services

  Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity on Engage.

• Lutheran Student Movement

  In the Light promotes a judgment-free atmosphere while exploring and expressing our personal faith journey. The pure love of God is given to all and his powerful word is read and discussed every week after a delicious fellowship meal. All are welcome!

  Advisor: Derek Mace, Assistant Professor of Psychology

  Lutheran Student Movement on Engage.

• Military Club at KU

  The purpose of the Military Club at Kutztown University is to serve as an advocate for student veterans and civilians by:

  • Improving retention among veterans by providing a supportive environment

  • Providing community service opportunities for students to continue with their lifetime of service

  • Working with military unit representatives to address student veteran concerns

  • Providing networking opportunities throughout the university

  • Providing educational opportunities outside of the classroom to prepare veterans for their post-college careers

  • Supporting veterans in the cultural transition from military service to higher education

  • Keeping with the spirit of service in the United States Armed Forces, this organization is strictly apolitical and seeks only to support student veterans and not to promote one political agenda over another

  • Providing support to families of veterans

  Email: military@kutztown.edu

  Advisor: Tania Brown-Berringer, Director of Veterans Services

  Military Club on Engage.

• Multicultural Greek Council (MGC)

  MGC provides a forum of communication among the member organizations and oversees all membership intake efforts. Chapters of MGC hold membership in one of the following umbrella organizations: the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) or the National Multicultural Greek Council (NMGC). Active MGC Groups at Kutztown include: 

  Kappa Alpha Psi

  Lambda Theta Phi

  Omega Psi Phi

  Sigma Lambda Beta

  Email: KutztownMGC1866@gmail.com

  Advisor: Amanda Garcia, Assistant Director of McFarland Student Union & Greek Life

  MGC on Engage.

• Muslim Student Association

  Welcome to the Muslim Students' Association at Kutztown University. Our goal is to create a haven for Muslims on campus by providing places for worship and a strong community. We also host events to raise awareness, promote tolerance and spread the message of Islam.

  Advisor: Christine Saidi, Professor of History

  Muslim Student Association on Engage.

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Kutztown University Chapter

  NAMI On Campus: Kutztown is a student-led, student-run health organization that is an extension of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The aim is to promote mental illness awareness both on campus and in the community. NAMI On Campus: Kutztown also strives to develop a stigma-free campus environment that empowers and supports students who have mental illness and students who know friends/family with mental illness. These goals are met through campus and community wide activities, NAMI affiliated speakers and monthly club meetings. NAMI KU also aspires to support those students on campus who seek guidance and/or help with their mental health struggles, whether it be a personal struggle or a loved one who suffers. In the upcoming semesters, we will hold support groups for those who are seeking an ear for listening or a hand for comfort.

  Advisor: Patricia Brenner, Assistant Professor of Counselor Education & Student Affairs

  NAMI on Engage.

• Newman Council

  The Catholic Campus Ministry at Kutztown University works to passionately cultivate a heart for the campus, animated by the love of Christ and embodied by the community of believers in Saint Christopher Newman Center.

  Advisor: Thiep Pham, Assistant Professor of Computer Science & Information Technology

  Newman Council on Engage.

• Student Government Board (SGB)

  The chief governing body of the SGA, which is comprised of every student who has paid the student activity fee. SGB's main functions are to represent student opinion and oversee the administration of the student activity fee.

  Email: sgb@kutztown.edu

  Advisor: Jerry Schearer, Assistant Vice President & Dean of Students/Chief Diversity Officer

  Student Government Board on Engage.

• Slavic Club

  Slavic Club offers students opportunities to learn Russian language and history background of Slavic countries, such as, Poland, Slovakia, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, etc. Slavic based activities and movies, snacks and more! We encourage people who want to speak Russian or learn more about Slavic cultures to come and join us. Also, for those students who are from Eastern European countries, Slavic Club will not only be a language/culture learning club, but also a place for them to feel like home and meet new people. We will have so much fun!

  Advisor: Juliana Svistova, Associate Professor of Social Work

2023 PASSHE DEI Summit (hybrid): November 8-10, 2023

Save the date for this year's summit! This year's theme is "The Power of Community: Uniting to Amplify Voices and Foster Well-Being. All KU staff, faculty, and administrators are encouraged to attend. Summit is free for all PASSHE students, staff, and faculty, whether attending in person at Shippensburg University or virtually!

Conference on Human Diversity

Each spring, the annual conference of Kutztown University's Commission on Human Diversity unites activists, scholars, students & the community for talks. The Commission's mission: advocating for the rights and dignity of all people, all the time.