The LEAD Center (Leadership Engagement Activities Development) will host another workshop for Marshall students called “Elephants and Onions.”   

Emilie Christenberry, the graduate assistant for student involvement and leadership, described Elephants and Onions’ focus on diversity, inclusion and many different topics.  

“Basically, it means we are going to talk about the “elephant” in the room—things people don’t want to talk about but are super important to discuss,” Christenberry said. “Then we’re going to peel back the layers with those topics, talk about why people feel that way and why it’s important to understand those differences.”
Christenberry said that the LEAD Center works hard to support and encourage diversity and inclusion at Marshall.  

“It’s still important to continually learn and grow about diversity, inclusion and many other different things,” Christenberry said. “West Virginia is definitely a mainly white state. People of color have a lot they can offer to us and things we can always learn more about.” 

Christenberry expressed how imperative it is to learn a different perspective, culture and different life experiences for Marshall students and their leaders.  

“Learning how to be more accommodating to people, learning how to understand a little better—our lives may not be the same as the people we interact with every day,” Christenberry said.  

Christenberry also explained that Elephants and Onions helps other people have more opportunities to make their lives equitable and fair, not only just in their college experience at Marshall but in their everyday lives.  

Students wanting to participate in Elephants and Onions can do so by registering through Herd Link. The workshop will be held at Camp Mad Anthony in Wayne, next Friday Mar. 4 starting at 10 a.m. Marshall will provide transportation which students can also register for through Herd Link.