Fostering Inclusive Spaces: Safe Zone Training Kicks Off the New Year

You might have seen them popping up around campus: round, rainbow-colored stickers and buttons with the message that “Everyone is Welcome Here — #SHUSafeTogether.” This simple badge signals that the person occupying the space within has participated in the new Safe Zone training and is a “safe person,” an ally for the LGBTQIA+ community at Seton Hall.
 
Safe Zone training, an initiative spearheaded by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, is designed to foster awareness and understanding of LGBTQIA+ identities and experiences. These interactive sessions, conducted in collaboration with student volunteers, aim to create a more inclusive and supportive campus environment by providing participants with the tools to help LGBTQIA+ individuals find further resources both on- and off-campus.
 
"The DEI Committee aims to educate and empower our community to advance equity, inclusion, and social justice on campus and beyond,” said Monica Burnette, vice president of the Division of Student Services. “Catholic teaching urges us to welcome diversity and impels us to work for equity and justice, as we seek to build inclusion, belonging, affinity and connection. Our trainings continue to focus on compassion, empathy, critical self-examination and positive action."
 
The inaugural training sessions, held on January 6 and 9, covered a wide array of topics. Participants explored appropriate and inappropriate terminology, the significance of pronouns (e.g., he/him/his) and the privileges associated with being “straight” and/or “cis.” One session featured a member of the student PRIDE Club, who joined via Teams to share her experience as a gay woman on campus. She affirmed her pride in being part of the student organization, expressed appreciation for the training efforts and acknowledged the general support she feels from the university community.
 
The training team featured a cross-departmental collaboration, including Nicole Paternoster, director of the Academic Resource Center; Jose Rodas, assistant director of Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental; Winston Roberts, assistant vice president of Student Services; Matt Geibel, director of Academic Support for Student Athletes; and Jessica Wilson, director of the Global Learning Center.
 
Reflecting on the importance of the initiative, Wilson shared, “I had attended a Safe Space training at my old institution, and it really helped transform me from what I call an ‘ally at heart’ to one of word, deed and knowledge. Hopefully, these trainings will affect our attendees like that and provide for them the language, understanding and other tools to effectively advocate for our LGBTQIA+ students and colleagues on campus, and our friends, families and neighbors off campus.”
 
The reactions from people who attended the training support Wilson’s, and the rest of the Safe Zone Committee’s, hopes. Post-event feedback reinforced the profound impact the trainings had on attendees, who overwhelmingly focused on the coming together of colleagues to learn more about and support Seton Hall’s LGBTQIA+ community.
 
As one participant noted, “In addition to learning about privilege and terms that were unfamiliar, I also learned from my colleagues in the room. It was reassuring to see a large community of colleagues come together to train on ways we can support and advocate for this community of students and others on campus.”
 
Another added, “I enjoyed learning about new terminology. I was not aware of many of them, and they were very helpful.” The authenticity and openness during the sessions resonated deeply. One attendee shared that they enjoyed learning “new vocabulary, but also that there are more people on campus looking for added support for our LGBTQ population of students here. I loved how authentic, honest and open folks were during the training.”
 
The value of Safe Zone training extends beyond individual growth. One faculty member reflected, “Would recommend to all staff, faculty and administrators on campus. If we are to be a loving and supportive community, it is critical that these issues are raised and discussed in an open and collegial fashion, and so that the consistency with this training and the University mission can be made clear to everyone.”
 
Attendees who complete the Safe Zone Training receive the #SHUSafeTogether stickers and buttons to hang on their office doors, laptops, bags or wherever. They serve as a sign to members of the LGBTQIA+ community that their office is a safe space on campus and that the person is a go-to for support and resources.
 
Most importantly they show that, in the veins of the Catholic mission, Seton Hall is taking deliberate steps toward cultivating a culture of inclusivity, advocacy and allyship. As the rainbow-colored stickers appear across campus, they serve as a reminder that Seton Hall is committed to ensuring that, “Everyone is welcome here.”
 
Future trainings will be announced. The Safe Zone Committee encourages everyone to sign up for these valuable sessions.

Categories: Campus Life