Toni Klohk: Coordinator for Diversity Achievement Center

Toni Klohk, the enthusiastic coordinator of the Diversity Achievement Center (DAC) on the Linn Benton Community College campus, met with a class to talk about what she does and the involvement of the D.A.C on the LBCC campus. The Center is located on the second floor of the Forum Building on campus in F-220 and is open nine am to three pm Monday through Friday although Klohk was quick to point out that if a service is really needed there is staff in the room until 5 if you just knock. The Center's goal is to promote understanding and acceptance; according to Klohk the idea is to "provide students opportunity to experience cultures they haven't".
Klohk also pointed out that our idea of diversity is often a narrow one and we need to "broaden the definition [of diversity] to include everyone": rich, poor, hungry, fed, even what hobbies or interests bring us together in small subcultures. In an effort to bring these cultures the Center puts on various events throughout the school year. Already they have had their hands in a handful of events on campus including the Gay Straight Alliance's bullying event and Rocky Horror Picture Show screening.
According to Klohk the attendance of these events varies year to year and even term to term. She went on to say that at LB right now there is a very active community that has shown support for many of the 25 clubs on campus. Although she did admit it was unfortunate that the Latino club that has been at LB wasn't able to carry on this year.
Students, Klohk said, are what make this all happen. The Diversity Achievement Center is made up of just one staff member and six student leaders. Students drive many of the clubs on campus and often dictate how well a message is received and they are often a measuring stick of how diversity is handled on campus. The point that Klohk stressed was that more students need to be involved, the door is always open to the Center and anyone can drop by to talk, let go, vent and generally converse about the direction the college takes. "Everything is going right," right now but it is up to student involvement to keep it that way.