The College Tour at SUU: Dominique Erwin
Posted: February 09, 2022 | Author: Abbie Cochrane | Read Time: 2 minutes
Dominique Erwin, a 2021 Southern Utah University graduate, was thrilled to be featured in SUU’s episode of the College Tour – a new national TV series that provides a closer look at the heart of college campuses across the country. SUU is the first Utah campus to be featured.
“Being a part of The College Tour was an experience I won’t forget,” Erwin said. “Everyone was encouraging from the start and so positive on set. You could tell that they cared and wanted the best for not only SUU’s episode, but for us as individuals. Wrapping up filming for my segment was bittersweet. I didn’t want the experience to end. I’m so glad I got the opportunity to be involved.”
Erwin’s segment of the episode heavily focused on the efforts for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at SUU. In the 2020-2021 school year, Erwin served as the president of the Black Student Union. Erwin’s leadership with the Black Student Union opened up doors to conversations about advocacy for DEI. She spoke with the Cedar City mayor about allyship, performative activism, racial sensitivity training, equity, and how to make people of color feel both safe and valued in Cedar City. She also spoke to the former SUU president, Scott Wyatt, about calling attention to the issues happening on campus that the administration seemed to overlook.
“SUU actively proves its commitment to diversity through listening to critical feedback and utilizing lessons to improve,” said Erwin. “To be able to see the integration of diversity in ongoing training, curriculum, and a commitment to improvement is so fulfilling. You matter here and have a voice at SUU. The University will listen and continue to work towards building a more diverse and inclusive campus.”
Through her involvement in the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), Erwin had the opportunity to go on a study abroad trip with other members of the CDI clubs in 2019. The group traveled to Chiapas, Mexico for a week-long cultural immersion trip. While in Mexico, they visited culturally significant places, met with community members from the Afro-Latinx and Indigenous communities, and planted a community garden.
She recently graduated with a dual degree in psychology and criminal justice, and a minor in legal studies. Since graduation, she works as an Interventionist and Instructional Aide for a third-grade class.
“The kids keep me on my toes every day,” Erwin joked. “I ultimately want to work with juveniles but I haven’t narrowed down a specific profession yet.”
Erwin also hopes to get a job or an internship at a legal office in the near future. She also plans to go on to graduate school.
SUU’s episode of the College Tour aired on August 19, 2021 and is available to watch on YouTube, Amazon Prime and The College Tour website. The episode features ten students from different corners of campus, each offering their own story about the university.
Tags: Criminal Justice The College Tour College of Humanities and Social Sciences Psychology Center for Diversity and Inclusion
