Dikate O’Neill (she/her) is a junior/senior psychology student at Salem State. Dikate is a dedicated mental health advocate and active in organizations to cultivate campus belonging and make sure every student feels they have a place on campus. In 2024, Dikate worked with the Center for Civic Engagement to establish and lead the SSU Mental Health Political Advocacy Coalition. Recognizing the impact of these challenging times, Dikate has been tireless in her outreach efforts to ensure that the Coalition is visible on campus and offers students outlets for inclusion, and to help them find community and a place to relieve mental stress. She has been an active member of the Bold Educated Empowered Sisters (BEES) since it was re-established in 2024, and currently serves as social media officer and co-vice president. She participated in SSU’s 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation speaking panel. Last summer Dikate completed a psychology internship working at Molo Mhlaba, an all girls primary school, in Khayelitsha Township, Cape Town, South Africa. After graduation, Dikate hopes to enter the Behavioral Health Service Corps at William James College, and pursue a graduate degree in the field of psychology.
Diakate’s Civic Engagement Hall of Fame community partner is Girls Inc. of Boston and Lynn.
Learn more about the 2026 Civic Engagement Inductees and Nominees