Pre-Conference Workshops
Before the conference starts, join some of our Administrators and Faculty for three workshops on various topics.
Workshop Topics
Breaking the Silence: How to Talk to Student Leaders about Sexuality and Gender
Hosted by Kara Martin (Human Sexuality Care Initiative, Director and Associate Director of Residence Life)
This year, your student leaders will have several touchpoints with the sexual and gender minority students on your campus. These encounters carry significant implications for how sexual and gender minority students perceive the integrity of your institution and their sense of belonging on campus. How can you ensure that both perceptions of institutional integrity and sense of belonging are increased through the encounters that your LGBTQ+ students have with student leaders? This session will provide resources for your toolkit as you train your student leaders in a way that honors your institutional theological commitments while still centering genuine care for LGBTQ+ students. Whether your desired outcome is a step-by-step outline for launching a formal student leader training session or simply an expanded vocabulary to inspire one-on-one conversations as questions arise, you’ll leave this session more confident in your ability to engage this topic. The ultimate beneficiaries will be the students who frequently question their status of belonging within your campus community.
The Start of Belonging: An Exploration of the Intercultural Development Inventory© in Christian Higher Education
Hosted by D'Metri Mattocks (Former Associate Dean and Director of Intercultural Life) and Jesse Cetz (Director for First Generation Student Success)
How do we create a space for belonging? In this experiential workshop, participants will gain a vision of cultural humility through the Intercultural Development Inventory© (IDI) lens. Based on Dr. Mitchell Hammer's evidence-based findings, we will explore the five primary stages of the Intercultural Development Continuum© framework: Denial, Polarization, Minimization, Acceptance, and Adaptation. Participants will leave this workshop with an understanding of their own inventory results, case studies for how this tool has been utilized with students at George Fox University, and a collaborative dialogue on how to apply the IDI to their context.
Understanding Common Mental Health Diagnoses and Trauma-Informed Practices within Student Life
Hosted by Erin Johnson (Associate Dean of Behavioral Sciences), Ali Toedtemeier (Director of Field Education, Bachelor of Social Work Program Assistant Professor of Social Work), and Kathryn Saunders (Visiting Assistant Professor of Social Work)
Participants are invited to grow their understanding of common mental health diagnoses (anxiety, depression, bipolar, PTSD, eating disorders) experienced by college students through the use of case studies, discussion, and research. Participants will develop a toolbox of trauma-informed responses to support students experiencing different ongoing mental health needs and/or mental health crises. This workshop provides an opportunity to gain an understanding of how to utilize different responses to students experiencing mental health crises. Furthermore, the workshop will help develop networks within university systems and surrounding community partners to help create a broad network of support for students.