“We’re all blurry-eyed wanderers of time, and the unfortunance of it all is that we’d probably all go on to do great things if only we searched for what corrected and focused our vision instead of relying on our past – life’s grand kaleidoscope – to help us find our way forward.”  

 A.J. Darkholme, Rise of the Morningstar 

About the RLC

The Kaleidoscope RLC creates an incubator to explore intellectual thought, identities and values through intentional conversations, experiences and programs. These will serve as a foundation for students from diverse backgrounds to develop consensus and identify solutions to complex social problems. Kaleidoscope offers a TIDES course, cultural trips, and varied workshops.

Inspired by D. Scott Tharp's theoretical framework, the Kaleidoscope experience is intended to apply a multidimensional model for developing cultural competence (Tharp, 2015). Our goal is to help students become critical thinkers who understand their attitudes, develop knowledge, and acquire skills through a comprehensive analysis of personal experiences, cultural perspectives, social interaction, and institutional systems in our society.

For more information, visit the Kaleidoscope Housing information page.

Required Reading

Each semester Kaleidoscope Residents will read a book that explores social issues of the day. 

Kaleidoscope Gatherings

Kaleidoscope residents get together in community to explore various issues.

Kaleidoscope Retreats & Trips

Intercultural Leadership Retreat is hosted by the Center for Intercultural Life each year and helps community members get a better understanding of community, coaliton building, and leadership.

Please Note: This is a mandatory experience for all Kaleidoscope RLC participants, as it introduces you to key concepts and tools that will be used throughout the RLC experience.

Alternative Break Opportunities

Legacy Museum & Memorial for Peace and Justice

Past Trips

Kaleidoscope Programs & Events

  • Multicultural & LGBTQ+ Student Orientation
  • QT Programming throughout the year
  • Fall Multicultural Leadership Retreat
  • The Q Spot
  • QT @ TU

Tharp, D. (2015). Applying a Freirian Lens on Social Justice Education: One Practitioner’s Perspective. Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis, 4 (1). Retrieved from https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/jctp/vol4/iss1