Alcorn State University to host historic Summit on Diversity and Inclusion
Alcorn State, Miss. (March 8, 2013) – On April 28-29, 2013, Alcorn State University will be the site for the first-ever Diversity and Inclusion Summit on HBCUs. This historic event, co-sponsored by the Alcorn State University Office of Educational Equity and Inclusion and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, will bring together chief diversity officers, administrators, faculty, staff, students and researchers to build community, explore best practices, and chart the direction for diversity and inclusion work at these historic institutions.
The Summit will kick off at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, with an opening address by the 18th President of Alcorn State University, Dr. M. Christopher Brown II. An expert on HBCUs and educational equity, Dr. Brown’s talk will focus on the centrality of diversity and inclusion to the mission of historically black schools.
Over the two days, participants will enjoy a series of dynamic panels and presentations on topics ranging from multicultural recruitment and programming to framing the diversity narrative to black male achievement. A highlight event on Monday, April 29, will be a panel of HBCU presidents sharing their expertise and vision for the future of diversity and inclusion efforts.
Myrlie Evers, a civil rights legend and Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at Alcorn, who delivered the invocation at the recent Presidential Inauguration, will provide the closing keynote address.
“We are so excited to continue breaking new ground in diversity work at HBCUs and look forward to convening the nation’s top thought and action leaders to develop ideas which can enhance the spirit of inclusion and equity across all campuses,” said Dr. Derek Greenfield, Summit chair and director of Educational Equity and Inclusion at Alcorn.
Benjamin D. Reese Jr., president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE), and vice president and chief diversity officer at Duke University, stated, “This Summit is an important opportunity for NADOHE to assist HBCUs in exploring appropriate campus models for professionals who lead campus diversity.”
Registration for the Summit is $75 and includes three meals, with a $10 discount provided to individuals registering prior to March 15. The host hotel is the Holiday Inn in Vicksburg, Mississippi, with a special rate of $79 plus tax available for attendees.
For more information, please visit hbcudiversity.alcorn.edu/dish. To register for the Summit, please visit hbcudiversity.eventbrite.com. All additional questions can be directed to Dr. Greenfield at 601.443.7167 or [email protected] .
