Engaging in Professional Development

Professional development is a very important component towards professional growth and advancement. Each year, I commit myself to engage in professional development opportunities at my institution, locally, regionally and nationally. These type of opportunities expand my knowledge, awareness on topics/trends, network and enables me to consume information that complements my work and experience as a student affairs professional.

Most recently, I was accepted to present at the 2011 NASPA Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA. I will be presenting three sessions with various colleagues from across the country. The following are the three sessions that my colleagues and I will present:

Fostering the Integration of Inclusion within Residence Life

Presenters: David E. Jones, James Kohl, Ph.D, & Christyn Toomey

Monday, March 14 (8:30 AM - 9:45 AM)

Room/Venue: 109 - Convention Center

Networking with a Purpose: Increasing Your Social Capital

Presenters: David E. Jones, James Frier & Kelvin J. Harris

Monday, March 14 (12:15 PM - 1:30 PM)

Room/Venue: Franklin 6 - Marriott

Purposeful Competencies: A New Professional Roundtable Discussion

Presenters: David E. Jones, Kendall Exume, Kelvin Harris, Darren Hargrove, Franklin Soares & David Williams

Tuesday, March 15 (7:15 AM - 8:15 AM)

Room/Venue: 112 - Convention Center

I welcome and encourage you to join us at our sessions during the NASPA Annual Conference. Please visit my blog in March following the conference for a update regarding my experience at NASPA. For more information about the conference, please visit www.naspa.org.

In addition to the forthcoming presentations at NASPA, I was also accepted to attend and participate in the Social Justice Training Institute (SJTI), November 30th - December 4th, 2010. I am extremely excited to participate in this institute. SJTI is a five day institute facilitated by skilled social justice and diversity experts in higher education.

Jessica Pettitt, SJTI Coordinator, best describes the institute as a "forum for the professional and personal development of social justice educators and practitioners to expand and refine their skills and competencies as diversity practitioners and trainers." Jessica continues to highlight that "SJTI is a developmental experience that will involve personal work. Past participants have found SJTI to be an intense experience as we work to understand the dynamics and effects of race and racism and as we engage in authentic dialogue across and within race groups."

This excerpt from Jessica is very inspiring and encouraging. I am motivated to learn, be engaged and anxious to refine my skills and competencies as a diversity practitioner, trainer and workshop facilitator. I am also looking forward to meeting colleagues from colleges and universities across the country who share similar experiences and are committed to learning and infusing the work of social justice into our everyday practice.

Please visit my blog in December for new updates that will highlight my experience at the Social Justice Training Institute in Long Beach, California. For more information about SJTI, please visit www.sjti.org.