Monday, November 4
9 - 9:45 a.m.
Fostering Inclusion and Equity for Latina/o Children and Families
Presented by Miguel Arce
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
This lecture will highlight the importance of participatory planning in the development of a response to inequality that exists in the provision of services.
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Holistic Wellness Through Latin Social Dance: Embracing Adversity, Difference, and Community
Presented by McCoy Jamison
Location: Springfield College Dance Studio (Facilities Building, Second Floor)
This workshop invites students to explore Latin social dances such as salsa, bachata, merengue, and more, as tools for holistic wellness. Dance will be used as a vehicle for not only physical well-being but also for confronting personal and social adversity, embracing diversity, and fostering deeper connections with others. Through movement, cultural exploration, and reflective dialogue, students will engage in dance as a way to build resilience, celebrate difference, and create inclusive community spaces. This course encourages participants to see dance as a powerful expression of identity, an act of joy, and a pathway to physical, emotional, and social well-being.
Noon - 1 p.m.
Social Construct of Gender: Cultural Perspectives and Mental Health Implications
Presented by Karissa Spurgeon, Rebecca Brill, Grace Vocalina, Rebecca Osborne
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
This discussion will focus on gender, how it is socially constructed, the cultural conceptualization of gender, and its impact on individuals singularly and societally.
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Culturally Responsive Teaching, Leading, and Serving in Higher Education
Presented by Valerie Annear, Julie Koivisto, and Stephanie Logan
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
Culturally responsive pedagogy embodies a professional, political, cultural, ethical, and ideological disposition that supersedes mundane teaching acts. It is situated in a framework that recognizes the rich and varied cultural wealth, knowledge, and skills that students from diverse backgrounds bring to schools and seeks to develop dynamic teaching practices, multicultural content, multiple means of assessment, and philosophical view of teaching that is dedicated to nurturing student academic, social, emotional, cultural, psychological, and physiological well-being. While culturally responsive pedagogy focuses on the PK-12 environment, we propose its usefulness in higher education teaching, student affairs, and leadership. Therefore, this presentation will highlight elements of cultural responsiveness that apply to higher education through small group activities to explore what culturally responsive higher teaching, student affairs, and leadership could look like at Springfield College.
3- 4 p.m.
An Educational Technique in Learning about DEI and DEI in Learning: Human Simulation
Presented by Melih Elcin
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
The presentation will focus on how we use human simulation to enhance learning on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and how we ensure DEI in learning. A variety of activities using human simulation will be described to provide best practices that learners experience the situations and manage the cases, and educators define principles for practicing DEI in learning environments.
Tuesday, November 5
10 - 11 a.m.
Conflict Engagement as a Tool for Self-Advocacy and Social Change
Presented by Amy Sereday
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
The session will discuss how healthy conflict engagement can be leveraged as a tool for self-advocacy and social change. The first step in this journey is to reflect on our beliefs about conflict and the framing of conflict as a negative, rather than a positive opportunity. The session will include a self-assessment of our individual comfort level with conflict followed by a discussion of healthy vs. unhealthy conflict and how we might increase our comfort engaging in healthy conflict.
12:15 - 1:15 p.m.
Beyond Cats and Dogs: The Experiences of Haitians in America
Presented by Slandie Dieujuste
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
In August 2024, JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, began perpetuating the debunked claim that Haitians were eating their neighbors’ pets in Springfield, Ohio. Weeks later, presidential candidate, Donald Trump, repeated the outlandish claim during the presidential debate, asserting, “in Springfield, Ohio, they’re eating the dogs…they’re eating the cats.” What followed has been a non-stop news cycle that thrust Haitians in the middle of the contentious battle over U.S. immigration policies. The untruthful claim reflects a long painful history of xenophobia and violence towards Haitians in the United States. Its purpose was to vilify an entire community by attacking their character and humanity, while distracting us from their remarkable contributions. This session will not only provide a brief overview of the experiences of Haitians in America, but it will offer a counter-narrative that seeks to bring us beyond the racist and xenophobic language to a place that centers the strengths, values, and contributions of Haitians in America.
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Leveling Up: Venba as a Lens for Second-Generation Immigrant Experiences
Presented by Ariel Rodríguez
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
In today’s digital age, video games have evolved beyond just being a form of entertainment to become profound mediums for storytelling and cultural exploration. Venba, a narrative-driven video game centered around culinary traditions and family life, provides a lens for examining the immigrant experience. Through its gameplay and storytelling, Venba captures the challenges and nuances of navigating between cultures. This presentation will explore how a second-generation immigrant used Venba to reflect on and deepen their understanding of their immigrant experience.
Wednesday, November 6
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Intersectional Feminism
Presented by Alice Eaton, Kushal Bhandari, Amanda Simpson, Julianna Torres, and Dikshya Upadhyaya
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
This panel will feature four Honors Program students from the fall 2024 Honors colloquium on Intersectional Feminism, led by Professor Alice Eaton. As Kimberlé Crenshaw defines it, “Intersectionality is a metaphor for understanding the ways that multiple forms of inequality or disadvantage sometimes compound themselves and create obstacles that often are not understood among conventional ways of thinking.” Each student will present on an aspect of the topic through analysis of social media, female rappers, and other topics, such as eco-feminism, feminism in academia, western vs. non-western feminism, and/or reactions to mainstream white feminism. Professor Eaton will serve as a moderator for the panel, to be followed by a question-and-answer period.
Noon to 1 p.m.
Understanding Antisemitism
Presented by Rachel Rubinstein
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
Antisemitism, while intertwined with other forms of identity-based hatred, is particularly confusing in that one can find it in multiple ideological positions and orientations that we would consider otherwise to be at odds with each other. Often called “the oldest hatred,” antisemitism seems particularly resurgent, powerful, and contested in this cultural moment. In this presentation and discussion, we will distinguish various forms and articulations of antisemitism as we excavate them from their origins through today. We will conclude with some conversation about how to disentangle antisemitism from debates about Zionism and anti-Zionism.
1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Springfield College DEIB Advisory Council
Presented by Fadia Nordtveit
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
This discussion will update the community at Springfield College about the DEIB Advisory Council from the perspective of its two co-chairs, Fadia Nordtveit, PhD, and Slandie Dieujuste, PhD. The discussion will include presentations on the strategy and work-in-progress projects of the council as well as provide an opportunity to community members to find out more about this two-year service commitment.
2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
The Use of Pronouns in Health Care
Presented by Brooke Hooper, Ashley Guerin, Sydney Clark, Emma Garneau, Elina Olemdo, Nicole Pinheiro, Molly Collins
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
In this presentation, we will be talking about the use of pronouns in the health care field, why it's important, and how it has changed health care.
Thursday, November 7
Noon - 1 p.m.
I Found a Mentor. Now What?
Presented by Rebecca J Wilson
Location: Virtual
We often hear how important it is to have mentors in our lives, but no one ever talks about what successful mentoring is supposed to look like. One important aspect of mentoring should include looking at your life goals and social capital—your networks and connections. In this session, participants will uncover tools and strategies to take them into their next mentoring relationship to experience a life-changing, positive impact.
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Appropriation of Native American Cultures, Stereotypical Pseudo-Culture, and Identities
Presented by Laurel R. Davis-Delano
Location: Virtual
This presentation will start with the definition of “Native appropriation” (i.e., appropriation of Native American cultures, stereotypical pseudo-culture, and identities), followed by situating this phenomenon in the context of social inequality, settler colonialism, and Native American (tribal) nation sovereignty. Native appropriation is widespread in U.S. society. A wide variety of examples will be provided. Research results on Native American (a) attitudes toward, (b) reasons for attitudes about, (c) feelings when encountering, and (d) behavioral responses to Native appropriation will be presented. Consequences of this appropriation for Native Americans will be covered. Lastly, scholarship on support for Native appropriation—and resistance to change— among White Americans will be discussed.
Friday, November 8
11 a.m. - Noon
Courage to Care: Navigating Injustice Amidst Indifference
Presented by Sophie Elser, Gabriela Rivera-Rodriguez, Anfernee Harris, Sophie Parquet, Julia Lally, Allison Cumming-McCann
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
We plan to challenge systems of oppression in the helping fields and discuss how those in this field can lead with purpose and integrity as advocates and allies. The mission of our institution is to educate the whole individual in spirit, mind, and body, to become leaders and serve others. Without an awareness of oppression in the helping professions, and the knowledge of the implications of policy and colonization of education, members of our institution and its surrounding community cannot, and will not, become influential advocates and allies. The goal of our presentation is to challenge systems of oppression in the helping professions and discuss how members of such professions can lead with purpose and integrity. To be a true advocate and ally, one must become aware and educated on the various types of oppression faced by our society. This includes racism, sexism, ableism, language bias, and more. By becoming informed and educated, our relationships with those we serve will be strengthened, thus inspiring others to become well-educated, informed advocates and allies. Using an evidence-based framework, our goal is to assist individuals in learning about multiple types of oppression seen in the helping professions. This will be a safe space to openly discuss what happens when we do and do not act when oppression arises, as well as how we can sustain our integrity and justice as helping professionals in a system that works against us. Led by a panel of diverse graduate students and student advisors, this session will provide insight on how we can further our knowledge on systems of oppression in order to become stronger leaders and allies in our communities. By providing space for self-exploration, we will utilize our time at SEAT by beginning our session with the question “What is your why?” Attendees will participate in conversations about systems of oppression seen in the helping professions. Presenters will facilitate discussions on what happens when we do and don’t act on the injustice and how we can keep our integrity when others are working against us. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Student Perspective: Increasing Social Capital through Creative Recreation
Presented by Jasmyn Roark-Somersall, Alice Mead, Keeley Joyal, Jake Tenney, Liam Barrett, Jesus Alicea, Julia Reer, Fiona Allen, Mimi Banksmith
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
In this interactive workshop, you'll discover how shared leisure activities can strengthen community bonds and enhance feelings of belonging. We aim to highlight the valuable opportunities that recreation offers to everyone. Throughout the session, you'll take part in various recreational activities that will help you connect with other community members. This workshop will be led by students from the Springfield College Recreation Industries and Therapeutic Recreation programs.
2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
A Discussion about Ethical Veganism
Presented by Robert Gruber, Lisa Bromberg, Fábio Valenti Possamai
Location: Cleveland E. and Phyllis B. Dodge Room (A&B), Flynn Campus Union
Professors Robert Gruber, Lisa Bromberg, and Fábio Valenti Possamai are ethical vegans. Each of them believes, in some way or another, that there are moral reasons against using animal products. In particular, we don't eat meat, eggs, or dairy. Come find out why, and let's have a discussion about how human actions and attitudes negatively affect other animals, and what we might do to correct this form of cross-species oppression. Also, we will be more than happy to answer your questions about how we each live out a vegan lifestyle.
