After the diversity forum that occurred at the end of the fall, 2015 semester and the many questions and concerns students expressed, Claire Moore, vice president of Student Affairs, suggested that an informational workshop about protest should be offered to students.

In order to raise awareness about protests and to get students engaged in the issues occurring in the world around them, Dr. Laura Smith, chair of the English department, and Kipp Colvin, director of Student Activities, will host a workshop on “Powerful Protests” Feb. 24 in the Rockland Banquet Hall from 7:30-8:30 p.m.

The workshop will help students understand how protest can be beneficial and how to convert their opinions into active voices. Students will learn the history of protests and recognize how to differentiate one type from another. They will also learn how to “take responsibility for the world they live in,” as Smith explained.

Smith is passionate about the history and process of protests and wants students to have the same opportunity. She said, “We want to create a culture where students feel empowered to speak out and know how to do that effectively.”

Since many students either saw or experienced the uprisings that recently occurred in Baltimore city and the protests that often occur on university campuses, students interested in learning about the power of protest should consider attending this event, said Smith. She concluded, “I think students becoming vocal about the issues they care about is important. It just seems like part of adulthood: to kind of take a stand for what you believe in the world and learn how to act that out publicly and just figure out what you believe and what you would stand in public for.”