Being one of two graduate assistants in the Counseling Center involved with this newsletter, I guess that I should introduce
myself. My name is DeNeishia Manuel, I am a native of Chicago, and I am currently a 21 year-old first year graduate student
here in the School of Social Work. In addition to this newsletter, I will be co-facilitating a PIR group dialogue course this
semester. I recently graduated from Western Illinois University in Macomb Illinois where I minored in sociology and received a
Bachelor of Social Work degree. I guess the next thing I should tell is how I wound up being a graduate assistant for the
Counseling Center. Well I worked for the Department of Human Services in Chicago during the summer for about three years
where I had the privilege of interacting with many inter-city youth and disadvantaged adults of various backgrounds. This is
where I realized that I enjoyed working with people and that effective communication and understanding of others were crucial
elements in my soon-to-be profession (Social Work). As a graduate assistant in the Counseling Center, not only am I provided
with the opportunity of sharing and participating in group dialogues on diversity (ie. sexual orientation, age, economics, race,
religion etc.), but I am also able to expand my current knowledge on this issue. My participation in a group dialogue course and
my involvement with this newsletter are enabling me to improve my communication skills and increase my knowledge as well as
my understanding of others. I feel that being a member of such a diverse society obligates us to explore the many areas of
diversity. So that's basically it. I won't bore you any more about my life.