The last two years have brought about many challenges. Some have phrased it as addressing the “pandemic within a pandemic.”
Missouri State University’s 2022 Collaborative Diversity Conference theme is “Contemporary issues in DEI: Where do we go from here?” This year’s conference will help identify and examine the ongoing challenges in the field of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
The virtual conference is free and open to the public, thanks to event sponsors. Among this year’s sponsors are MSU College of Business, Community Foundation of the Ozarks, MedPay, City Utilities of Springfield, Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce, Commerce Bank, Central Bank and International Institute of Southwest Missouri.
Online registration is required to participate.
About the conference
The conference will start with a presentation from the Facing Racism Institute April 20.
On April 21, a panel of chief diversity officers from various sectors will share the importance of DEI work in their industries.
“Missouri State has always been the trailblazer in providing DEI resources to this region,” said H. Wes Pratt, chief diversity officer at MSU. “I’m excited the Collaborative Diversity Conference is back to provide additional insights, perspectives and resources to our community.”
Schedule of events
April. 20
8:30 a.m. – Pre-conference: Facing Racism in 2022 and Beyond, Dr. Leslie Anderson and Dr. Lyle Q. Foster presenting.
April. 21
8:30 a.m. – Welcome to the 2022 Collaborative Diversity Conference, MSU President Clif Smart and Pratt.
9 a.m. – African American School to Prison Pipeline, Francine Pratt and Monica Horton.
10:10 a.m. – Speaking Up, Not Over: On Being an Advocate for Trans* Students, Matt Scott.
12:30 p.m. – From Ferguson to the future: An overview of the history and the work of the Missouri Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness (CREF), Stephanie White-Thorn.
1:40 p.m. – Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Experts Speak: Challenges and Opportunities? Panelists: Heather Hardinger (CoxHealth), Taj Suleyman (City of Springfield), Daniel Ogunyemi (Ozarks Technical Community College) and Jerry Williams (O’Reilly Automotive), moderated by Pratt.
3 p.m. – Shaping a culture for access, persistence and completion for males of color, Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) CEO/Founder Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe and Donric Long, VP MSU SAAB Chapter.
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