MILE prepares leaders, promotes cultural interaction

The University has always been known as a research institution but has never tried a research project such as Multicultural Initiatives for Leadership Education.

The Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives is sponsoring this new program in an attempt to build bridges between different ethnic groups on campus.

In the MILE program, students participate in cross-cultural interaction, including mentoring from peers and research about different minority groups.

The emphasis is on training students to become future leaders and to change the climate of the University.

Marie Ting, who helped create the program, said students participating in the program are willing to research and have a sincere interest in how the University campus is affected by diversity and critical thought.

"The creation and implementation of MILE is very timely in that (University President Lee) Bollinger is always encouraging the U-M community to 'suspend belief' and I believe the MILE is a program which does precisely that," said Ting, a program coordinator for the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives.

LSA junior Saladin Ahmed, one of MILE's 12 participants, said the program trains students to become leaders in their communities. Ahmed said he decided to participate in MILE because of the sense of community it instills within the students.

"There are a lot of like-minded people, but (the group is) diverse enough to get a different perspective," Ahmed said. "We are helping to instill a real sense of community on this campus."

Director of the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives John Matlock said a lot of hard work has been put into the program.

"I am a firm believer in starting things out small and work out the bugs more in the next step," Matlock said.

Matlock said the pilot program has a lot of potential for success. MILE can serve "as a model that others can use," he said.

"We want continuous input," Matlock said. "Everybody learns from this."

LSA first-year student Avani Sheth said she decided to participate in MILE because of its focus on building closer bonds among minority student organizations and exploring issues of ethnic diversity.

"I was especially drawn to the program," Sheth said. "The direction it could go is so amazing to think."

Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives Program Coordinator Tara Young, who helped create the program, said MILE is about self discovery. Young said students will learn from listening to different students' experiences.

"We are committed to crossing cultural boundaries," Young said.

02-19-98