On September 29, King’s College held its first diversity conference, ‘Digging Into DEI: Forging Connections’ from 9 a.m. – 2:15 p.m., at the Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center. All were invited to attend and take part in this conference that featured outstanding presentations by external speakers and faculty, staff, and students.
This conference was sponsored by the King’s DEI Committee, which was formed in September 2021 to help raise awareness of the growing diversity on campus, identify obstacles to inclusion, and ensure that the College continues to be a welcoming environment for all.
Marc A. Lo, Executive Director Penn First Plus, the University of Pennsylvania, delivered the conference’s keynote address. Dr. Lo spoke about how instructors and professional staff can support the connections that have profound implications for equity in the outcomes and experiences of first-generation college students. He also shared that success as inclusive educators stems both from relationships they foster between themselves, and with students and their communities.
This conference also featured different external and internal speakers across 10 sessions. Sessions included Kindness is Justice and Human Rights and DEI, as well as Practicing Hope within Holy Cross, which was presented by King’s College honor students.
Dr. Ayesha Ray, political science professor and chairperson of the DEI Committee said planning for the conference began late last semester. It was the first conference of its kind at King’s College, which she believed was a big step in raising awareness about diversity on campus. She sought presentations on a variety of different themes like DEI and the Holy Cross identity, first-generation students, microaggressions, leadership, and mental health.
“The conference was a major success,” said Dr. Ray. “Students and faculty from departments across campus actively participated and engaged with presenters during sessions.”
“Our motto is championing the inherent dignity of every person and are tremendously grateful to have the guidance of our president, Father Tom Looney,” she continued. “Marc Lo brought a breadth of experience and wisdom to King’s during his keynote address and workshop. It was also a great opportunity for first-generation students to hear from a speaker who was himself a first-generation student.”
