No one enters the academy as a blank slate. We all possess a mosaic of life experiences that shape who we are and how we navigate the spaces we work and learn. These experiences constitute the diversity of higher education. Collectively, members of the academy have faced unprecedented challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and programs, institutional discrimination, low staffing, and declining student enrollment and retention. It is not an overstatement to identify these trails as traumatic experiences which lead to disappointment, uncertainty, and even grief. In this keynote, Dr. Kendra Jason will present strategies using a trauma-informed approach to address and help overcome the impacts of these experiences and offer recommendations to actualize personal and professional success.
