The Office for Equal Opportunity and Equity (OEO) at North Carolina State University is launching a new initiative, called the Moving from Dialogue to Action Program (MDAP), to encourage students, faculty and staff members at several Raleigh, North Carolina colleges and universities to discuss issues surrounding race and social justice.

MDAP will be modeled on OEO's popular Study Circles on Race and Race Relations, a series of structured discussion groups in which eight to 12 participants meet regularly to examine racial attitudes and explore approaches to creating great equity and lasting change in their communities.

Thanks to a two-year, $80,000 grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, each MDAP study circle session will include students, faculty and staff from Meredith College, Peace College, Saint Augustine's College and Shaw University, as well as NC State. The diversity within these circles will engender rich discussions and follow-up.

Two trained study circle leaders will facilitate each group. Upon completion of the study circles, all participants will meet periodically to address a community social justice issue. Participants will share their experiences and accomplishments at a public symposium at the end of the second year of the program.

Students, faculty and staff members who are interested in participating, or would like more information, may contact Janet Howard at 513-3250 or by e-mail at janet@gw.ncsu.edu.