As We See It: Photovoice insights from college students regarding their experience of diversity and inclusion

In 2007, San Jose State University committed to developing an Inclusive Excellence/Diversity Master Plan as a central component of Strategic Planning 2010. The purpose of the Master Plan was to create a coordinated, integrated, campus-wide action plan that outlines ways in which an engaged, inclusive, thriving context of diversity will be deeply embedded in the university's infrastructure. Key components of the plan include core values, goals, implementation steps and strategies, and assessment measures. For purposes of this effort, diversity was defined as the active appreciation, engagement, and support of all campus members' backgrounds, identities, and experiences. Inclusive excellence was defined as an environment in which all members thrive, feel valued, and attain personal and professional success, and in which diversity is utilized as an education resource for students and as a central part of their academic success. Significant resources were dedicated to this effort, which is the first of its kind in the 23-campus California State University system as well as across all California-based universities. However, as we came to the final months of a two year process, we realized that a critical voice was missing from the analysis we were bringing to our institutional planning: the sentient, lived experience of diversity, by diverse students, on our extraordinarily diverse campus. As We See It, a participatory photovoice research project by 25 SJSU students, brought rich and invaluable texture to the final development of the IE/Diversity Master Plan. Methods, findings, policy impact, and public health relevance will be presented and discussed.