Letter of Intent
Estimated Amount to be requested from the CSF: 
$1,000
Letter of Intent: 

Summary

Diversity in Psychology is an RSO that was created in response to the alarming lack of diversity and representation in the field of Psychology, and specifically within the Psychology department at the University of Washington. Our founding members noticed the large emphasis of the experiences of White people as the center of many class discussions as well as in media representations of mental health and mental illness. We established this RSO in order to tackle some of these issues of representation and education, and used this momentum to shape our first meetings around topics that bridged social in/justice and Psychology. We have led many community conversations about Microaggressions, Impostor Syndrome, our own “Seattle Affective Disorder”, and a discussion about “The Mis-Education of Mental Illness”, which focused on breaking the stigma that mental health and therapy aren’t for people of color. Through our meetings, we aim to create a focused group of students of color in the field.

One aspect of our organization is connecting with members and groups in our community, and so we decided to extend our goals and ideas to high school students in the King County area who identify as people of color and who are interested in Psychology.This conference will be centered on familiarizing students with life at the University of Washington and highlighting the importance of people like them in the field. We aim to start this conversation at a young age because these students are most likely developing their identities and figuring out their part in society.

The conference will be an all-day event, beginning at 9am and commencing around 4:30 pm. The day will consist of a Keynote speaker, a series of breakout sessions & workshops, lunch, an RSO fair, and a campus tour. We hope to have students leave the conference a little less nervous about attending college and inspired and educated on the diverse field of Psychology.

Date: Saturday, November 10th 2018
Time: 9am-4:30pm
Location: Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center

Conference Timeline:

  • 9:00-9:30 - Registration + light breakfast
  • 9:30-9:40 Transition to large room
  • 9:40-9:45 Introduce DIP, Conference, Timeline and Speaker
  • 9:45-10:00 Keynote Speaker
  • 10:00-10:10 - Explain breakout sessions and transition to rooms
  • 10:15-11:15 Break out 1
  • 11:15-11:25 Transition
  • 11:30-12:30 Break Out 2
  • 12:35-1:30 Lunch, RSO tabling fair, sorority/frat showcase
  • 1:30-1:40 Transition
  • 1:45-2:45 Break out 3
  • 2:45-2:55 Transition
  • 3:00-4:00 Break Out 4
  • 4:00-4:30 Group Picture and Ending Remarks in Unity Room

Break out session Workshops (4):

  • The Importance of POC in Psychology/Psychological Research - Led by UW Psychology graduate students
  • Transitioning from High School to College - Led by UW Counseling Center
  • Admissions 101 workshop (topic is still tentative, but this is what has been currently agreed on) - Led by the Dream Project
  • Campus Tour - Led by OMAD Student Ambassadors. We also want to incorporate a diversity and sustainability centered tour of the UW Campus. We are working with CSF staff members and ECC staff members to accomplish this.

RSOs for RSO Fair

  • We want to showcase RSOs that center on diversity, as well as RSOs involved in Psychology, Mental Health, and related fields.
  • Additionally, we plan to showcase multicultural Greek Life (UW National Pan-Hellenic Council, United Greek Council) to get students excited about Greek Life that may be more relevant to their cultural backgrounds.

Keynote Speaker - A meeting with Professor Lynne Manzo is in the works. Professor Manzo is an Environmental Psychologist and we feel she can not only offer a perspective into an interesting field of Psychology, but also speak to the importance of understanding psychological impacts of environmental injustices which people of color face at alarming rates.

Lead RSO- Diversity in Psychology

Budget - $1000 requested from CSF

  • Room Fees
    • Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center - Unity Room + 4 breakout rooms; non-affiliated RSO ($377)
  • Materials/Promotional Items
    • 150 T-Shirts with Double Dip Logo ($700)
    • 110 Tote Bags with Logo ($210)
    • 150 Lanyards ($256)
    • Bus Vouchers for Students ($250)

Project Planning Timeline

September 17th-November 9th: Weekly board meetings centered on Conference planning.

  • Week of September 17th
    • Check in
    • Assign new tasks for Fall Quarter;
    • Schedule meetings with Faculty Advisor, UW Admissions, Dean Taylor & Dr. Suite, and workshop leaders
    • Compile list of RSOs for RSO Fair and sending out emails
    • Find campus tour guides
    • Create T-shirt,lanyard, and tote bag designs
    • Send invitation emails to new list of high school contacts + potential sponsors
    • Contact caterer (Subway)
    • Meet with Dream Project
  • Week of September 24th
    • Check in
    • Confirm caterer
    • Meet with Faculty Advisor; meet with UW Admissions to schedule high school visits; meet with Dean Taylor & Denzil Suite
    • Increase RSO outreach efforts
    • Increase high school student outreach efforts
  • Week of October 8th
    • Check in
    • Meet with workshop leaders to discuss workshops by this week
    • Finalize KeyNote Speaker
    • Confirm RSO list; send out informational emails to RSOs
  • Week of October 15th
    • Check in
    • Meet with Faculty Advisor
    • Confirm Workshop topics and schedule
  • Week of October 22nd
    • Check in
    • Pay ECC reservation fee
    • Last minute high school
    • Close registration (10/26) and finalize/confirm conference attendance
    • Order T-Shirts, lanyards, and tote bags
  • Week of October 29th
    • Check in
    • Meet with Faculty Advisor
    • Potentially leave registration open until 11/2
  • Week of November 5th
    • Check in
    • Finalize conference details and technicalities, set up ECC; meet with RSO fair participants, workshop leaders, volunteers
    • Send out informational emails to high school students

Environmental Impact

Most Psychological research that is studied in Colleges and Universities has been done by White people, on White people, and most likely for White people. Findings have been applied to “other” groups, like people of color, without taking into account cultural differences or other ways of living. Or, when research does mention various cultural groups, they are brought up as the antithesis or exception. Further, mental health and illness are thought to be arenas for wealthy White individuals. This is clear after a simple Google search of “therapist” or “therapy”. Attending the University of Washington and majoring in Psychology will also give off that information. PSYCH classes are typically taught by White professors and most students in class are White. Most of the psychologists and researchers that students learn about are White, and their subjects are largely White.

However, there has been research on topics such as representation. Different studies show that schools with more Black teachers or even a Black principal increase the amount of Black students in gifted programs. From the direct experience of Diversity in Psychology’s founding members, as well as from many other people of color, it becomes much easier to feel as one belongs in a group or school when there are other people that look like you. Studies show that belongingness is crucial to development, academic performance, and many other positive outcomes.

One of the immediate goals of the Double Dip Conference is to provide this representation to high school students. We feel that because the larger field of Psychology lacks much diverse representation, the study and faith in Psychology is lacking in many communities that have been historically underserved and neglected. We hope that if  students see other students, leaders, professors, alumni, and advisors that reflect themselves, they can easily imagine themselves at the University of Washington and as future Psychology professionals. Additionally, we hope to present the idea of attending a university as exciting and attainable for these students. We want to provide them with resources and a network of support for their future college endeavors. Expanding the community that Diversity in Psychology has created to high school students is also a goal of the Conference.

Further, along with the values of our RSO, our team hopes to broaden the conversation around what Psychology can mean. While the field historically lacks much racial representation, issues such as racism and discrimination are intensely intertwined in various Psychological topics and areas of study. This being said, we plan to include an environmental aspect in our conference. Given the low amounts of racial diversity at the University of Washington, Seattle, and largely the whole state of Washington, it is important to note how environmental injustices are rooted in racism and that they impact certain groups in many ways. In a virtually racially-segregated city like Seattle, that is undergoing much change, a conversation and understanding about issues such as environmental racism is crucial. Professor Lynne Manzo, an Environmental Psychologist, will be able to speak on this topic. We want students to understand that Psychology is more than being a “shrink”, “listening to people’s problems”, or “diagnosing everyone you meet”. Psychology can also mean seeing and understanding deeply rooted systems of injustice and the avenues through which they are sustained.

Our larger goals are to increase diversity in the Psychology department at UW and in the broader field. Showcasing actual diversity in Psychology at this conference, educating students on the importance of people like them in this field, and familiarizing students with resources on campus will build a strong and focused group of future applicants to the school. This conference will start a domino effect and grow bigger and better with every year.

Education & Outreach

We have been working with the Office of Multicultural Outreach and Recruitment, the Dream Project, and UW Admissions to spread the word to high schoolers. Because our target group is high school students, we have been working with these offices to share our marketing information (description of the event + event flyer + registration link) to their high school contacts. Through our various organized meetings and discussions, we have met members of the greater community that are also forwarding our conference details to various high schools and students in the area.

We plan to host this conference at the UW, in the Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center. Not only is the ECC a great resource for students of color at UW, but it is a great network of people to work with for this conference. We hope to collaborate and share ideas on how to best serve our audience.

Through the various workshops and discussions, we plan to exhibit the diversity of the field of Psychology. That means highlighting the many different areas of research, job opportunities and career paths, and why it is importance for the field to consist of diverse individuals & groups. We can hopefully start a trend of positive change and start the very important conversation about Psychology in marginalized groups and communities.

Student Involvement

All of our board members will be involved in the Conference. Members are taking leadership roles with advertising, conference planning, and student outreach, and some will also take charge in creating merchandise and other materials for the event. In addition to our own team, we plan to collaborate with other student leaders involved in the Dream Project, Admissions, Psychology graduate students, and professors and faculty in the field. These individuals and groups will lead the workshops that the high school students will attend throughout the day. We also look forward to collaborating with different RSOs that center on diversity and/or Psychology to participate in an RSO fair during the event.

Accountability & Feasibility

Diversity in Psychology’s executive board has been on top of planning and communicating in regard to the Conference. Since Spring Quarter of 2018, we have had various meetings where items such as fundraising and conference planning were talked about and executed. Our previous board was very passionate about the Conference and we have solidified many aspects already. We will have merchandise donated from the UW Bookstore, snack donations from a local bakery, and have confirmed collaborations with the Dream Project, the Counseling Center, and UW Psychology graduate students to lead different sessions throughout the day. A flyer (with a conference logo) and informational letter have both been created to send out to high school counselors and students

For marketing and outreach, we have been working closely with the Multicultural Outreach and Recruitment Office (MOR) to reach out to students and high schools in the King County area. Additionally, we have reached out to personal and community contacts that have access to these populations as well in order to advertise and invite students to the conference. We have a goal of 100 students, and so far have about 50 confirmed via our registration link. Now that school is starting up again, we will expand our invitations and reach out to even more high schools. Additionally, the Dream Project will also be spreading the word to their high school connections.

Over the summer, our new executive board has met for a few in-person meetings but have been communicating virtually for the most part. The new board has become familiar with the conference and tasks have been assigned to each member, ranging from taking charge on merchandise and marketing materials to sending out email invitations. When the school year begins, we will continue to meet once to twice weekly to check in with each other and our assigned tasks. We will also continue check-ins with our faculty advisor and our other sources of assistance from UW Admissions and MOR.

We have also met with and been in constant communication with our faculty advisor in the Psychology Advising Office. She has helped us with getting financial backing from the Psychology Department and connected us with the graduate students who will be leading sessions.

The conference has the support of Dr. Denzil Suite, the VP of Student Life. He has a background in Psychology and is thrilled to see a conference like ours coming to fruition. Additionally, Ed Taylor, Dean of Undergraduate Affairs, has also agreed to support the conference financially. Similarly, he has a background in Psychology and shares Dr. Suite’s excitement and passion.

Of course, if awarded money, we are more than thrilled to work with the CSF to discussing alternative ways of reaching high school students and ways to improve any ideas regarding the conference. We would love to talk about ways to make the conference even more cost-efficient.

Our team members are confident that this conference will pave the way for more to come and widen the conversation about diversity in the field of Psychology.

Contact Information
Primary Contact First & Last Name: 
Ayala Feder-Haugabook
Email: 
ayalafh@uw.edu
Full Proposal
This will display after the CSF committee has reviewed and approved your LOI, and after you have received the link to edit your application.
Budget: 
ItemCost per ItemQuantityTotal Cost
Timeline: 
TaskTimeframeEstimated Completion Date
Year: 
Amount Awarded: 
$1,000
Project status: 
Completed