Past Events
A Vision of Belonging at Northeastern
This event has occurred in the past.
Fostering a community of belonging is essential to the advancement of Northeastern University’s mission of teaching and research. Our university is stronger as a result of the varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that all members of our global community bring to the pursuit of knowledge. Embracing this pluralism is a shared responsibility that spans disciplines and boundaries. By harnessing the power of our differences, we will continue to light the path to bold new ideas and life-changing discoveries.
Event Recording:
Resources
Schedule
12:00-12:30 PM ET Opening Remarks: A Vision of Belonging, Richard O’Bryant
12:30-1:30 PM ET Panel Discussion
1:30-1:40 PM ET Break 1
1:40-3:30 PM ET Facilitated Breakout Rooms*
3:30-3:50 PM ET Breakout Room Reflection
3:50-4:00 PM ET Closing Remarks, Richard O’Bryant
*There will be a 10-minute break at 2:40pm ET
Break Out Room Topics
Processing Room
Facilitators: Albert Chanthaboury, Director, Asian American Center, Part Time Lecturer
This room will provide space for conference participants to discuss and process the current state of higher education, belonging practices, and global events.
Defining Belonging
Facilitators: Rosa Rodriguez Williams, Executive Director, Office of Belonging; Richard O’Bryant, Chief Belonging Officer, Office of Belonging
This room aims to explore the definition and key elements of belonging within the context of the Northeastern community.
Global Campus Support
Facilitators: Lynn Santopietro, Associate Director of Programs, Mills Institute; Lisa Susser, Manager of Belonging, Office of Belonging
This room aims to explore belonging best practices and support needs for regional campuses.
Affinity Group Support
Facilitators: Jennifer Barrymore, Vice President, Advancement Resources & Campaign Resources; Alison Nogueira, Senior Coop Coordinator and Senior Director, COE; Arwa Alkhateeb, Associate Coop Coordinator, COE; Lura Slowinski, Senior Program Manager, Civil and Environmental Engineering
This room aims to explore belonging best practices and support needs within Affinity Groups.
Student/Alumni Support
Facilitators: Cheyenne Mason, Assistant Director of Outreach, Engagement and Belonging, Part Time Lecturer; Sara Rivera, Director of the Latinx Cultural Center
This room aims to explore resources, support, and opportunities for fostering belonging among students and alumni.
Faculty Support
Facilitators: Dinuka Gunaratne, Director, Career & Experiential Learning, Part Time Lecturer; Corliss Thompson, Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Education
This room aims to explore resources, support, and professional development opportunities necessary to foster a sense of belonging to empower faculty to thrive in their roles.
Staff Support
Facilitators: Mika Morikawa-Zhou, Learning & Employee Engagement Associate, Human Resources; Jennifer Ahn, Executive Director, LxL, Mills College
This room aims to explore resources, support, and professional development opportunities necessary to foster a sense of belonging to empower staff to thrive in their roles.
Working as a Global Collective
Facilitators: Olivia DeFrances-Stuart, Systems Specialist, Global Launch Services; Erik Brenner, Director, Belonging Initiatives, Engineering Office of the Dean
This room aims to explore communication structures and pathways across departments, colleges, groups, and campuses to support belonging practices and collaboration.
Panelists:
- Ife Tayo Walker, Associate Director of Belonging, Mills Institute
- Jada Jackson, Community Engagement Manager, Charlotte Regional Campus
- Deniz Toker, Associate Director of Community and Academic Partnerships, Toronto Regional Campus
- Gary Cantrell, Associate Teaching Professor, Khoury, LGBTQA+ Affinity Group Leadership
Conference Committee:
- Richard O’Bryant, Chief Belonging Officer, Office of Belonging
- Rosa Rodriguez Williams, Executive Director, Office of Belonging
- Niki Long, Program Coordinator, Office of Belonging
- Lisa Susser, Manager of Belonging, Office of Belonging
- Melissa Berry-Woods, Director of Belonging, Office of Belonging
- Cecilia Akuffo, Director of Communications, Office of Belonging
- Beya Jimenez, Director of Belonging and Engagement, PREF
- Cheyenne Mason, Assistant Director of Outreach, Engagement and Belonging, Engineering Office of the Dean
- Mika Morikawa-Zhou, Learning & Employee Engagement Associate, Human Resources
FAQ
What is the purpose of this event?
A Vision of Belonging is a virtual conference hosted by the Office of Belonging where we will build our vision for belonging at Northeastern together. We will explore strategies to build belonging and community across the global network and collaborate across job functions and academic disciplines. In addition to conference speakers, the event will be interactive with the opportunity for smaller group dialogue.
Who is the conference for?
The conference is for the Northeastern Belonging Network.
What virtual platform will be used?
Microsoft Teams.
What are the meeting guidelines?
- Come Prepared: Please review the primary resources provided in the belonging resource guide.
- Be Present: Silence distractions and actively listen and participate throughout the conference.
- Join on Mute: Please join the meeting with your microphone muted to avoid unintentional disruptions.
- Be Open to Different Perspectives: Listen to and respect viewpoints different from your own.
Do I have to attend the entire conference, or can I join at different times?
While we encourage participants to attend the full conference, you’re welcome to join or leave as needed. Please refer to the conference schedule to find the most suitable times.
How do I enable closed captions?
Meeting attendees can select Turn On Live Captions in the More menu at the top of a meeting.
Will there be future events like this?
Yes, the Office of Belonging intends to continue organizing conferences and similar events in the future.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Contact the Office of Belonging at [email protected] or Program Coordinator, Niki Long, at [email protected].