Please note that registration for Community Day sessions have closed.

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The Blind, Deaf, Lame and Mute – Embracing the Differently Abled: Perspectives From a Legally Blind Chemist

Alfred T. D’Agostino, Chemistry Department, School of Arts, Sciences, and Business
What obstacles do the differently abled face? What do ADA and EEOC guarantee? This workshop explores misconceptions about “disability,” accessibility through assistive/adaptive technologies, social impediments, consequences of bias, and how to eliminate barriers to achievement.

Dancing with Diversity: InterPlay® for Community-Building

Wakoh Shannon Hickey, Religious Studies Department, School of Arts, Sciences, and Business
There’s a lot of work to do around diversity and inclusion, but this workshop reminds participants that we can dismantle barriers by playing together too. InterPlay® is a global, multicultural, interfaith, gender-empowering movement that invites us to (re)discover the beauty of our common humanity.

Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequality

Joan Sattler, School of Education
Based on a documentary of the same name, this workshop will introduce the causes and consequences of systemic inequality. This challenging conversation will combine dynamic film clips with time for reflection and sharing of our own experiences, beliefs, and attitudes.

Domestic Violence and Dating Violence: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go?

Fiaruz J. Palis-Lutz, School of Nursing
Each year, domestic violence affects 600,000 to 6,000,000 women in the US, regardless of age, social status, race, or religion. This workshop touches on basic concepts of domestic and dating violence, including how to recognize the signs of abuse and what can break the cycle.

Celebrating Diversity!

Mischelle Van Brakle, Criminology Department, School of Arts, Sciences, and Business
Amid the great diversity of our community, participants in this workshop will create an “Identity Mural” to portray inclusion at NDMU. They will discuss what diversity and inclusion mean to them, think about their own identities, and express their ideas through a creative outlet. Materials will be provided.

“Gender and Race Matters” in STEM

Jocelyn McKeon and Angela Sherman, Chemistry Department, School of Arts, Sciences, and Business
What are the different ways in which gender and race matter in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) disciplines? Join this workshop to explore and discuss the past, present, and future challenges and opportunities at the intersection of gender, race, and STEM.

Diversity and Inclusion in Womanist Thought and Theology

LaReine-Marie Mosely, Religious Studies Department, School of Arts, Sciences, and Business
Poet-activist Alice Walker coined the word “womanist” to celebrate the diversity of women of color in all their manifestations. This workshop provides input about womanist thought and then offers the chance to identify and strategize about people at NDMU who might be on the margins.

Justice in Action

Melissa Lees, Office of Campus Ministry and Community Service
This workshop invites participants to enjoy a panel of students describing their various service experiences with diverse populations. The goal is to focus on the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and how we can put them into action on a daily basis.

Rethinking Voice in African-American Women’s Documentary

Heather McIntosh, Communication Arts Department, School of Arts, Sciences, and Business
Every documentary features an array of voices to convey information, offer opinions, tell stories, etc. The speaker is just as important as what is spoken. This workshop examines select documentaries by and about African-American women in order to rethink who speaks, why, and for whom they speak.

Integrating Cultural Awareness in a Student-run Cultural Fair

Ashley Moody, Clinical & Administrative Sciences Department, School of Pharmacy
Each spring, student pharmacists host a culture fair at NDMU, with displays about healthcare belief models and health statistics of various countries, plus food and a variety show highlighting these cultures. Participants in this workshop will learn about the planning and results of this annual event.

Cultural Diversity at NDMU

Geri Larsen, Director of Human Resources, and a Panel of NDMU Community Members
A panel of NDMU’s culturally diverse staff and faculty will discuss their experiences in leaving their homelands: how they have adapted to the US, what they have gained, and what they have lost. Their stories will encourage us to understand cultural differences and broaden our personal horizons.

Diverse Voices Speaking the Truth

David Hoovler, History/Political Science Dept, School of Arts, Sciences, and Business and Lin Romano, COO, GEDCO
Would you tell the truth if it put you at risk? Learn about a diverse group of people who have done that. Participants in this interactive, multimedia workshop based on Baldwin Scholar Robert Shetterly’s work, "Americans Who Tell the Truth" will engage in role-play and dialogue re finding and embodying truth.

Two Environmental Catastrophes We Face: Who’s at Risk and Who Can Help?

John T. Cookson, Jr., Director of Environmental Sustainability Major, School of Arts, Sciences, and Business
The world faces 2 catastrophes, both linked to the environment: our food, air, water, living conditions. These problems affect the whole world, but their greatest impact is felt in poverty-stricken areas. This workshop reveals the problems we face, their science and scope, and how to make a difference.

Inclusion of Individuals with Disabilities in Higher Education: A Social Justice Perspective

Carol Rabin, School of Education
This workshop provides an overview of the evolution of the disability rights movement in higher education, with a focus on the role of colleges/universities in supporting education access. The discussion will explore ways to promote access and participation for individuals with disabilities.

Ethics Bowl: The Case of the Sexbot

NDMU 2014 Ethics Bowl Team
The annual Ethics Bowl asks students to put themselves in the ethical shoes of people from other races, cultures, viewpoints, etc. In this presentation, the NDMU team will talk about one of this year’s cases that is sure to incite a variety of opinions, the Case of the Sexbot, AKA sex robot.