The Division of Student Affairs held its second annual
Professional Development Symposium featuring keynote speaker Lori Patton Davis
of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis on Wednesday, November 30.
Twelve, 50-minute sessions around the theme “Identity consciousness: Honoring
difference to impact student success” were held throughout the day, and all
divisional staff were invited to attend. The symposium was established to take
advantage of and share the significant expertise that exists within the
division and support staff personal and professional development goals.
Planning for the event began in the spring, and a committee
of six divisional staff members took on the responsibility of making the day
happen. Sessions included Stereotype Threat and Racial Battle Fatigue; Friends,
Colleagues and Workplace Oppression; Centering Mission Students, Reframing and
Referring Campus Services and Student Athletes: One Culture, Dual Identities,
among others. All sessions addressed one of the following four subtopics:
·
A held identity and how that identity informs or
impacts work
·
A held identity and how it intersects with
students
·
A particular student’s or student group’s
identity
·
Best practices on how to use identity-consciousness
to improve or increase student success
Each year has a different theme related to divisional or
university priorities or hot topics. This year, academic advisors and
students in the college student development track of the counseling major in
the School of Education were also invited to the symposium. In coming years,
Student Affairs hopes to expand the symposium and invite others at the
university to attend.