Program Schedule 2008-2009

September 11, 2008 - NEPDEC Celebrates 10 Years of Success and Challenge

September 12, 2008 - Words that Hurt, Words that Heal: How to Use Words Wisely and Well

September 19, 2008 - Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?

October 13, 2008 - Building Multicultural Competence

October 22, 2008 - The Influence of Rap and Hip-Hop in a Culture of Communication
(This presentation will be given twice, in two locations.)

October 29, 2008 - Policy Design with Diversity in Mind: A Conceptual Framework

November 3, 2008 - A Chronology of Negro Spirituals: What were they really saying?"

November 4, 2008 - Christian Privilege

November 4, 2008 - Knowing Our Students in Social Justice Oriented Classrooms

November 6, 2008 - College Student Social

November 8-9, 2008 - NEPDEC Student Multicultural Leadership Conference

December 4, 2008 - Communication Styles and Diversity: How Personality Shapes Social Interaction

September 11, 2008

NEPDEC Celebrates 10 Years of Success and Challenge

W. Terrell Jones, Ed.D. Vice Provost for Educational Equity Pennsylvania State University

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Diversity Consortium, founded in 1998 with 12 members, has grown to 31 members, including school districts, intermediate units, colleges and universities, businesses, health care organizations, and government entities. We have celebrated many successes in our first ten years, but in order to continue successfully we must identify our barriers and strategize for the future. Dr. Jones will lead us toward proven, effective strategies for enhancing our understanding of diversity and planning for diversity in the coming years. He will focus discussion on essential elements of institutional diversity and the importance of strong collaborative leadership for organizational change.

Dr. W. Terrell Jones, is the Vice Provost for Educational Equity at Pennsylvania State University, and is responsible for leading the implementation of the University's strategic plan to embrace and support diversity. Dr. Jones, a nationally-known speaker on diversity issues in higher education, has a unique ability to help audiences appreciate and work for the implementation of successful educational strategies that enhance their institution's reach and productivity.Dr. Jones is the author or co-author of several book chapters on the subject of cultural diversity. He is an affiliate faculty member with the Division of Counseling and Educational Psychology at PSU, and has taught courses on race relations and cross-cultural counseling. Jones is a board member of the International Partnership for Service Learning, and is a diversity consultant for several Pennsylvania school districts and private sector organizations. He has been a faculty member of the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication for more than ten years, and regularly presents workshops on strategic planning for diversity in higher education, and racial and cultural identity. Jones currently serves as president of the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education. He holds a Master's Degree in Student Personnel Services, and a Doctorate in Education from Pennsylvania State University.

Of Special Interest To: NEPDEC Board Members and Organizational Leadership Teams.

September 12, 2008

Words that Hurt, Words that Heal: How to Use Words Wisely and Well

Rabbi Joseph Telushkin

Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, named by Talk Magazine one of the 50 best speakers in the United States, is renowned for his warmth, breadth of knowledge, and richly anecdotal insights. In this presentation he focuses these gifts on the words we use in public and in private, revealing their tremendous power to shape relationships. With wit and intelligence, Rabbi Telushkin explains the harm in spreading gossip, rumors, and others' secrets, and how unjust anger, excessive criticism, and lying undermine true communication. By sensitizing us to subtleties of speech we may never have considered before, he shows us how to turn every exchange into an opportunity.

Telushkin is the author of the immensely popular volume, Jewish Literacy: the Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, and his book, Biblical Literacy: The Most Important People, Events and Ideas of the Hebrew Bible, was chosen as a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club. Another of his works, Book of Jewish Values: A Day by Day Guide to Ethical Living was the subject of a PBS special that aired throughout the United States. He has also written The Ten Commandments of Character: Essential Advice for Living an Honorable, Ethical, Honest Life, and Why the Jews: The Reason for Antisemitism, which Telushkin co-authored with Dennis Prager. His novel, Heaven's Witness, co-written with Allen Estrin, a murder mystery, will shortly be released as a TV movie on CBS.

A prolific author and esteemed teacher, Rabbi Telushkin was ordained at Yeshiva University in New York, and pursued graduate studies in Jewish history at Columbia University. He resides in New York City with his wife, Dvorah Menashe Telushkin, and their four children.

Of Special Interest To:Human Resources Staff, Mediation Team Members, Student Services Staff, and anyone interested in enhancing their communication skills.

September 19, 2008

Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?

Ms. Theresa Tyler-Smith, B.A. Director of Disease Prevention Education Wyoming Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross

It often appears that we are obsessed with health. Media outlets trumpet the latest gene and drug discoveries, dietary supplements line shelf after shelf in the supermarket, and a multi-billion dollar industry of magazines, videos, and spas sells healthy "lifestyles." We spend more than twice the average spent by other industrialized nations, per person, on medical care. Healthy behaviors, molecular research, and of course, universal health care are all important. However, evidence suggests that we miss the most vital factor of all: how the social circumstances in which we are born, live, and work can get under our skin and disrupt our biology as surely as germs and viruses.

Ms. Theresa Tyler-Smith, in addition to her duties with the American Red Cross, is an Instructor/Trainer for the Centers for Disease Control, Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions Department. She is also a federal grant reviewer for the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as other federal agencies, including The Health Resources and Services Administration, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Office of Minority Health, and the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention. In conjunction with her own consulting company, Tyler-Smith co-consults on national behavioral health issues with McKing Consulting Corporation (Kansas City, MO) and Alston Consulting (Pittsburgh, PA). Tyler-Smith also serves as the Chairperson of the Criminal Justice Task Force for The Luzerne County Diversity Commission.

In her role with the American Red Cross, Tyler-Smith and her staff provide education, interventions, counseling, and testing to at-risk populations for six counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Her presentation skills, sensitivity, and depth of knowledge have made Tyler-Smith a welcome presenter locally and nationally.

Ms. Tyler-Smith resides in Mountain Top, PA with her husband, Reverend Wallace E. Smith. In addition to her many consulting, administrative, and educational activities, she assists in the pastorate of the multicultural nondenominational New Covenant Christian Fellowship Church in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Of Special Interest To: Human Resource Professionals, Student Services Professionals, and Healthcare professionals, educators, and students. All those from NEPDEC member institutions are welcome.

October 13, 2008

Building Multicultural Competence

Linda Trompetter, Ph.D. Special Assistant to the President for Diversity Director of the Diversity Institute, Misericordia University President of the Board of Directors, NEPDEC

Action begins with awareness. In this workshop, participants will examine their own cultural lenses, learn about the dynamics of difference, and discover the bottom-line benefits of valuing diversity in the workplace. Replace misconceptions with useful facts and information, while you participate in active dialogue and workshop activities. These skills will enhance recruitment and retention efforts of NEPDEC member institutions.

Dr. Linda Trompetter established The Diversity Institute at Misericordia University in 1992, and now serves on the President's Cabinet for institutional planning. In addition to master's and doctoral degrees in philosophy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Trompetter holds a Master of Theological Studies degree, with a concentration in ethics, from Harvard University. As a tenured professor of philosophy at Southeast Missouri State University, her academic work centered on human rights, prejudice, and discrimination.

Trompetter is currently appointed to manage the Luzerne County Diversity Commission, and is a welcome presenter across the country on diversity education, multicultural learning environments, and successful strategies for addressing diversity concerns on college campuses and in the corporate environment. She is a principle in the consulting firm Consult4Diversity, and recently visited Israel and the Palestinian Territories to work with professors developing culture-sensitive curriculum materials for Israeli and Palestinian students.

All those from NEPDEC member institutions are welcome.

October 22, 2008

The Influence of Rap and Hip-Hop in a Culture of Communication
(This presentation will be given twice, in two locations.)

8:30-11:30am
University of Scranton, Reddington Hall, Frist Floor (Collegiate Hall)

6:00-8:00pm
Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Wilkes-Barre, PA

Celeste Fisher, Ph.D. Visiting Scholar, The Diversity Institute Misericordia University

Rap and hip-hop music are important forms of expression for today's youth. Crossing racial and ethnic lines, these genres have significantly influenced popular cultures throughout the world. Rap and hip-hop music truly appeal to a mass audience. In this workshop, we will examine the spread of hip-hop culture from black communities in the United States to various parts of the globe. Learn how and why rap music began. What does rap and hip hop music mean today? How is it interpreted by racially and ethnically diverse others? Participants in the workshop will gain a greater understanding of how the language and images of rap and hip hop music shape discussions of race and gender, both locally and internationally.

Dr. Celeste A. Fisher is the Diversity Institute Visiting Scholar at Misericordia University for 2008-2009, where she teaches courses in communication and sociology. Fisher has published articles in the areas of film audiences, race and representation, identity politics and urban studies. She has also served as a special issue editor for The International Journal of Media and Cultural Politics (Intellect Books, 2005) on a project titled, "Black Women's Politics through Cultural Expression," which examines the ways in which black women have creatively articulated their political views within the context of various social and cultural movements. Her book, Black on Black: Urban Youth Films and the Multicultural Audience, focuses on the role of film in the meaning-making process (Scarecrow Press, 2006). Dr. Fisher is a graduate of Syracuse University (B.S.), the State University of New York at Buffalo (M.S.), and New York University (Ph.D.).

Of Special Interest To: Communications, Music, and Fine Arts faculty and students. All those from NEPDEC member institutions are welcome. This is a great opportunity for those who have not done so, to visit a multicultural church and meet the congregation.

October 29, 2008

Policy Design with Diversity in Mind: A Conceptual Framework

Scott Richardson, M.Ed. Director, Northeastern Pennsylvania Diversity Education Consortium Associate Director, The Diversity Institute at Misericordia University

Mr. Richardson addresses issues of diversity and sensitivity with regard to policy development, implementation and administration. We will evaluate some current institutional policies to assess their effectiveness in managing for diversity, sensitivity, and micro-communications. Participants will also design a fictional policy during the workshop, acting as policy practitioners. This workshop is highly interactive!

Mr. Richardson has worked in secondary and higher education for the past fifteen years. He has served as an administrator, teacher, trainer, educator, counselor and advisor. Some of Richardson's work experiences include Director of Assessment (Reading Area Community College) and Director of Educational Opportunity (Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus). Mr. Richardson holds a B.A. in Music and a M.Ed. in Curriculum Development and Pedagogy from Kutztown University and is a doctoral candidate in Higher Education Leadership, Organization and Policy at Widener University.

Target Audience: Organizational policy makers.

November 3, 2008

A Chronology of Negro Spirituals: What were they really saying?"

Mr. Barry Wilson, B.A. Student Program Leader The Milton Hershey School

Mr. Wilson's workshop/performance will outline the history of Negro spirituals from slavery to the present day, and discuss the influence music had on communication strategies for the Negro slave. There will be a discussion of music as a cultural voice, particularly for a violently oppressed population. As points of discussion are brought to light, Mr. Barry will perform examples of the repertoire.

Mr. Barry Wilson is a native of Rochester, NY, and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wilberforce University. He is currently a master of science degree candidate in Community Leadership at Duquesne University.

Wilson's parents are from the southern United States, with African and Native American ancestry. His love of diversity education, and interest in the Black American musical experience have been cultivated by growing up in a richly diverse cultural tapestry, at home, in school, in church, and in his home community.

Mr. Wilson has performed as the lead vocalist for the internationally acclaimed contemporary Christian men's vocal group Acappella. He has performed for enthusiastic audiences in the United States, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and Jamaica.

He has served as a youth counselor, substitute teacher, program specialist, and house parent for the Milton Hershey School. He has also served as a director of youth development for a community agency. Wilson is presently living in Hershey, and serves as a Student Program Leader at MHS.

This is a special opportunity to hear an acclaimed scholar and artist perform songs in the setting they were intended to be heard, the Black church.

Of Special Interest To: American History, Communications, and Music faculty and students. All those from NEPDEC member institutions are welcome.

November 4, 2008

Christian Privilege

Maurianne Adams, Ph.D. Professor Emerita of Education University of Massachusetts Amherst

Contemporary Christian privilege in the U.S. is a result of a founding myth and a 300-year historical tradition of Christian hegemony and domination over non-Christian religions. The ramifications of this ongoing tradition of religious privilege present a challenging social justice issue in current American society. In higher education, as well as in public schooling, it is an area for teachers and administrators to explore, from the perspectives of their own and their students' religious identities and experiences. Such exploration can aid in designing classroom curricula and school policy that acknowledge the pluralism and diversity of students from non-Christian religious communities within the U.S.

Of Special Interest To: Human Resources and Student Services personnel, Religion Studies and History faculty and students, those involved in campus ministries.

November 4, 2008

Knowing Our Students in Social Justice Oriented Classrooms

Maurianne Adams, Ph.D. Professor Emerita of Education University of Massachusetts Amherst

Having background knowledge about our students' prior familiarity with course content is generally helpful in any teaching situation. However, when the content involves issues of social justice, to which students bring strongly held opinions and beliefs, this knowledge becomes essential. Beyond their differences of social identity, age, or experience, students bring into the classroom a wide range of knowledge and opinion on issues such as gender roles, racial stereotypes, normal ability, or appropriate sexual behavior, learned as part of their everyday socialization. A major reason that we as teachers want to know our students better is to be able to match our curricular goals, and the instructional activities that support them, to our students' needs. We want to teach to current levels of awareness, expectations, and information, using appropriate and realistic learning goals. With these goals in mind, this seminar explores several frameworks that help us know our students better, and ways of assessing their responses and levels of understanding prior to, as well as during, our classes or workshops.

Of Special Interest To: Faculty members at all NEPDEC member institutions.

Dr. Maurianne Adams teaches Social Justice Education graduate classes on foundations of social justice education and social identity development. She has co-edited and written chapters on pedagogy, on religious oppression, and on knowing one's students for Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice (Routledge, 2nd edition, 2007). Adams is co-editor of Strangers and Neighbors: Relations Between Blacks and Jews in the United States (University of Massachusetts Press, 2000), and Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (Routledge, 2000). She is editor of the journal Equity & Excellence in Education and consults widely on social justice pedagogy, faculty development, religious oppression, and social justice and diversity issues on college campuses. Dr. Adams holds a Ph.D. from Indiana University.

November 6, 2008

College Student Social

Why stay home? Dance the night away while you network with students from other colleges and universities participating in NEPDEC activities.

Enjoy the food, music, and meet your colleagues at other schools in northeastern Pennsylvania!

Of Special Interest To: College Students from NEPDEC Member Institutions.

November 8-9, 2008

NEPDEC Student Multicultural Leadership Conference

Scott Richardson, M.Ed. Conference Director

Participants will learn about and practice leadership skills for a pluralistic society. As globalization changes our worldviews and ways of functioning organizationally and interpersonally, new leadership strategies are required. Participants will reflect on personal and leadership experiences, examine leadership theory, and participate in practical skill-building activities that make us better leaders, able to respond more effectively to the challenges and opportunities created by a diverse multicultural society.

Of Special Interest To: All high school, college, and university students at NEPDEC member institutions, particularly those interested in developing leadership skills and enhancing their career potential.

December 4, 2008

Communication Styles and Diversity: How Personality Shapes Social Interaction

Gwendolyn Stevens, Ph.D. Professor Emerita of Psychology United States Coast Guard Academy

Designed to address how personality and attitude structure not only the way you communicate but also how you interpret other's communications, this workshop is divided into three segments. During the first segment, each participate will describe their communication style and identify those with whom you have difficulty communicating. After administering and interpreting an instrument similar to the Myers Briggs Personality Type Inventory, we will investigate how each of the sixteen personality types is perceived by its opposite. Last, we will explore how your attitude about various classes of individuals (for instance, administrators, co-workers, peers, customers, men and/or women, or people from diverse ethnic, racial, national, or religious backgrounds) influences communication, and what you can do to foster better communication.

Dr. Gwendolyn Stevens received her Ph.D. in Psychology from University of California at Riverside. She was a tenured faculty member at Missouri State University and recently retired as a Full Professor of Psychology at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut, where she was also the Director of Academic Resources. In addition to extensive experience as an institutional researcher and therapist, Dr. Stevens has published many books and articles in professional journals. Her books include a two volume "Women in Psychology" text, and most recently, "Personality and Bereavement: Weaving a Life." She currently teaches part-time at Armstrong Atlantic State University and is a certified Yoga instructor.

Target Audience: Psychology and Communications faculty and students, Managers. NEPDEC members.