Community and Education

This program offers a group of participants a practice opportunity to learn how to dialogue rather than debate. Debate is often focused on winning. Dialogue focuses on how we can effectively communicate our ideas, make connections and demonstrate empathy.

Register

Circles

Circles are a 5-week sustained dialogue experience. Participants in each circle must commit to attending the once a week one-hour session. Each circle is limited to a max of 15 people.

Fall 2026 offerings are:​​​​​​​

• Fat, Thin, Tall, and Short: Is size bias, stereotypes, or discrimination a thing at RIT? - October 5, October 19, and October 26, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

Special Editions

Special edition of Breaking Bread will be offered occasionally. The purpose is to respond to current social issues. It will be a one-time experience and open to more members of the RIT community. The format will use a wide-range of communication strategies including a Socratic Circle method.

Spring 2026 topics are:

• Is resisting AI worth it? - September 29, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
• Dominance, transitional, or liberated: What kind of world do you want to live in? - October 27, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
• Class act: How do you experience socioeconomic status at home and at work? - November 10, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Connections

Connections is an opportunity to break through workplace silos as two departments or more are invited to come together to participate in an activity and/or facilitated discussion. 

for Circles or the special edition

The Co-Lab is short for the Community Laboratory. It is an intentional effort to create a greater sense of community within the residence halls. We partner with residential advisors to offer 45-minute to an hour experience using activities or facilitating conversations. Students will acquire knowledge and practice skills to live, learn and socialize in diverse communities. If interested in bringing us to your residence, reach out to Aubrey Hillman at axhddi@rit.edu.

Cultural humility is a life-long self-examination and accountability process. It helps people think critically about their own assumptions, beliefs, biases, and values in order to address historical and current inequalities and polarizing relationships. While uncomfortable learning moments will arise, this process is designed to create humble, thoughtful and emotionally intelligent people rather than experts who never make mistakes.

This certificate is only available to faculty, staff, student employees, and interested graduate students. Each participant must complete six workshops. Four are considered core requirements. The fourth core does change annually. The remaining two workshops are electives. Participants can choose the electives that they are most interested in.

Please register via RIT Workday by typing in the search engine "cultural humility" or the specific workshop title. You can also go under Learning > Discover > Learning Topics > RIT Professional Skills to search through a long list of offerings.

Join us the First Friday of each month in MOSAIC for fun and community building! Follow us on Instagram @rit_mosaic to check out what will be happening.

We celebrate U.S. and global history by recognizing the unique cultural practices, contributions and talents of specific populations that are often less known in our society.

• Hispanic/Latine Heritage – Mid-September – Mid-October
• Native/Indigenous Heritage – November
• Black Heritage – February
• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage – April

Other groups’ histories and heritage are represented in academic courses, events hosted by the Center for Campus Life and some student organizations. While we should celebrate all heritages all the time, it is strategic to highlight at specific points in an academic year to maximize focus and attendance.

We also plan a week of programming to acknowledge the unique journey of students who are first in their families to attend and eventually graduate from college.

A voluntary opportunity to learn tips that minimize bias and create a welcoming atmosphere by using effective practices throughout the hiring process. Register via RIT Workday

We plan and deliver annual campus-wide events such as Let Freedom Ring, Expressions of King’s Legacy, Together RIT, and Celebration of Excellence.

We work with various academic and staff support departments to teach courses or to plan off-campus opportunities for students.

• Courses
  • Intergroup Dialogue
  • Men, Males and Masculinities
• Events and Programs
  • Into the Roc – People’s Track
  • Museum Studies and University Gallery Exhibits
  • New Student Orientation
  • Cross-Cultural Clinical Skills Professional Development Series

Second-year students will be invited by their college staff to a facilitator-led dialogue over a meal. Students will leave with a better understanding of how their major and future career can be leveraged to problem solve local and global issues in order to build an interconnected and mutually beneficial world. 

During the summer we screen a series of films followed by a discussion. This is open to staff, faculty, and students. Find event info on the RIT Events calendar

MOSAIC Leadership Bootcamp is a drop-in opportunity for students to attend a one-hour workshop on a leadership topic of interest. It is meant to be an introductory into "soft" skills to help interact and lead across culture(s) and to develop management competencies. It is geared toward student employees and current or future student leaders. It is held once a year during the early fall semester. 

We offer off-campus experiential learning to interested graduate and undergraduate students. They will interact with cultures and speakers regionally and in some states within driving distance. Students come back with memorable experiences as well as new cultural knowledge. Opportunities are offered throughout the academic year with some being an evening, half-day, or an overnight experience.