Desiree Atimalala

(702) 807-6095
11 North 800 West, Apt #3
Cedar City, UT 84720
datimalala@gmail.com
UNIFYING CULTURES ACROSS the SUU CAMPUS
Cedar City, UT, January 19, 2014 -- During the Fall 2014 Semester, an SUU Senior named Desiree
Atimalala sought students view of how multiculturalism was represented on their SUU campus. After
interviewing many culturally diverse students, it was apparent that the students felt they needed
much more cultural awareness, understanding and open-mindedness. Therefore, Desiree started a
club called The Ladies of Diversity Interest Group of Sigma Theta Psi Multicultural Sorority, in hopes
to make the first multicultural sorority unto the SUU campus. With this organization, Desiree seeks to
unify and uplift their cultural differences while providing events and activities for other SUU students
to embrace and celebrate their cultures and differences as well.
Desiree Atimalala became a part of Sigma Theta Psi Multicultural Sorority in Las Vegas, NV during the
Spring of 2011. She transferred from UNLV to SUU during Fall 2013 to complete her Bachelors in
Accounting. After researching the Greek life in SUU, Desiree found 2 Sororities and 2 Fraternities that
take part in community service, academic help and much more. In addition, Desiree found
multicultural clubs and organizations in SUU that do the same works. After interviews with some
multicultural clubs, it was concluded that these organizations did not combine their efforts. In
addition, multicultural students did not see nor feel the current Greek organizations represented
diverse or multiple cultures or differences. In addition to taking the UNIV 1010 course in Fall 2013,
Desiree decided to make her EDGE Project in Leadership as being a leader and forming a club to start
the change of cultural diversity.
Therefore, Desiree strove to find ladies interested in making a difference while promoting cultural
awareness and bringing diverse people together with the events and efforts of forming a multicultural
sorority. After multiple table events, fifteen and more women signed up to form The Ladies of Diversity
club. With their great and combined goal to spread cultural awareness, the club was formed during
Spring 2015 and they started forming events to spread awareness of the club and much more. As
shown in the picture, the Ladies of Diversity held a table event asking SUU students to describe their
personal definition of diversity. The Ladies of Diversity also held multiple table events spreading
awareness of the sororitys philanthropy of Breast Cancer Awareness and values of honesty, loyalty,
respect, open-mindedness, leadership and academic excellence.
With their latest efforts, the Ladies of Diversity worked with other multicultural clubs to host the
Multicultural Non-Greek Rush Week during January 19 th to January 24th. That week consisted of clubs
informing students of the clubs information and history while providing fun games and activities to
bond with new fellow students. Thus far, the Ladies of Diversity have worked with multiple and diverse
clubs to help promote their events while they return the support. With their efforts, Desiree has
successfully formed The Ladies of Diversity Interest Group of Sigma Theta Psi Multicultural Sorority
and many anticipate the future events they plan to future the spread of multiculturalism.
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