Colleges and universities are seeing an upward trend in the diversity of their student bodies—a mark of progress in higher education. In the past four decades, Latinx student representation has increased an astonishing 408 percent, and the Black student population grew from nine percent to 13 percent. There has never been a better time to contemplate how campuses can create atmospheres that welcome and support all students and cultivate a sense of belonging.
From November 14-16, Texas Lutheran University will host a regional gathering of the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) which will explore equity-based initiatives and the idea of vocation and calling among culturally diverse student populations. NetVUE, a program of the Council of Independent Colleges, is a nationwide network of 300 colleges and universities formed to support and enrich vocational exploration and discernment among undergraduate students.
Rev. Lamont Anthony Wells, Executive Director of the Network of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Colleges and Universities (NECU), will present the keynote address at a celebratory dinner to kick off the gathering on Thursday, November 14. Friday and Saturday will be highlighted by plenary sessions and break-out discussions and will feature Marybeth Gasman, who is the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair and a Distinguished Professor in the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University. Plenary session topics include: Aquí Estamos (We’re Here)- Latinx Students on a Journey of Discovery, and African American Students Along a Pathway of Growth and Learning, as well as additional presentations and discussion groups that center on equity and inclusion amidst rising student diversity.
For full details on registering for the gathering, as well as travel and hotel accommodations and schedule, visit Equity-Based initiatives to Support Vocational Discernment (tlu.edu). Registration deadline is October 15.
Equity-Based initiatives to Support Vocational Discernment (tlu.edu)