Apprehension and uncertainty often keep international students from mixing with American students.

A diversity workshop is working to change that.

Beginning its second semester, Lifestyles for Learning-Enhancing Cross-Cultural Communication is teaching students how to be diversity facilitators.

Through inter-racial community workshops, 13 students went through diversity training. Ten are returning this fall as facilitators.

Suzanne Zilber, staff psychologist, said, “This workshop is based on the assumption that while differences among peoples and cultures is a source of richness and excitement, differences also create discomfort and conflict.”

The students are trained to teach groups about factors that influence cross-culture interaction. The programs are given to undergraduate classes, graduate/faculty classes, leadership conferences, Greek houses, residence halls and any group that needs them.

Each group must have at least six to eight people and block off two to three hours.

Zilber said at first many students are uncertain about approaching students from other cultures. There is a mix of anxiety and fear in just approaching “different” students and starting up a conversation is even harder, she said.

She hopes that after the workshops are over the students will feel more confident in engaging in inter-racial communications and will strive to enhance their racial awareness and relationships.

“The 50-minute workshops do not give the student facilitators enough time to fully comprehend the different situations,” she said. “We want students to continue their explorations and studies.”

Student facilitators are paid $5.00 an hour to run the workshops.

Lisa Wentzel, a freshmen, said the program has merit.

“I think it is essential for this campus to realize there are different races that interact on a daily basis with each other. We need to understand others’ cultures so there is more racial harmony and less prejudice.”

Zilber said Lifestyles for Learning-Enhancing Cross-Cultural Communication especially needs white men and men of color for the workshops.

Anyone interested in the workshops can call Martha Norton or Zilber at 294-5056.