Darla Thurber, vice president of external affairs and chief diversity officer at National Park College, explains steps taken by NPC to achieve diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Hot Springs/Hot Springs Village branch of American Association of University Women (AAUW) met last week to hear from Darla Thurber, vice president of external affairs at National Park College (NPC). Thurber is also the chief diversity officer at the college.

AAUW works closely with NPC in selecting and monitoring scholarship recipients and considers diversity an important factor in the selection process.

Thurber told AAUW members that she has always felt strongly about diversity on campus and volunteered for the position of diversity officer. She was instrumental in creating the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council (DEIC) at NPC, and sought members that were as passionate about the issue as she is. She said the goal of the Council is “making a better environment for our students.” Members of the group include faculty, staff and students.

Thurber went on to define diversity as a “range of human differences,” including race, ethnicity, gender, etc. The Council seeks to achieve equity for all students, which she explained as fair treatment, access, opportunity and advancement, and the elimination of barriers to full participation. Inclusion was defined as “actively creating an atmosphere where all individuals feel safe, supported, represented and valued.”

Thurber also described the Cultural Diversity Awareness Club at NPC, which has been active since 2000. A guest speaker series, “We Belong,” is now in its third year, and the talks are open to the public. She said a highlight of the series was a presentation by Minnijean Brown Trickey, a member of the original Little Rock Nine, and her daughter, Spirit Tawfiq.

For more information about diversity at NPC, visit