SEL & Equity in Higher Education

SEL & Equity in Higher Education (panel 2)

What skills will support the dialogue, awareness & empathy needed to build communities of equity?

Colleges and universities are increasingly aware of the urgent need to deconstruct racism, sexism & other systemic inequities — how? While much of the needed change is in the systems, what is the “inner work of equity” that will equip people in these institutions to have the conversations needed to do the systemic work? What are the social & emotional skills that support this? And what are culturally responsive methods to bring those skills forward in a way that works?

Key questions

• Please introduce yourself and give us a metaphor to describe your view of SEL in Equity.
• What is equity?
• Since education institutions are so focused on learning, why doesn’t equity already exist there?
• As in society at large, issues of racism, ageism, everything-ism are entrenched in the systems and structures of institutions — so does it really matter if individuals do the inner work to become antiracist?
• What is one social-emotional skill that you’d like to see every student, faculty & staff member develop in order to work more effectively on antiracism?
• What are the opportunities and limits of social emotional learning interventions on campus as they relate to equity?
• What factors or values have maintained and reinforced oppression and inequality in tertiary education and in what way do they intersect with SEL competencies?
• What is your “secret ingredient” for being a changemaker – that you’d like to see shared in  higher education?

Panelists

Susan Charles, Ed.D. Director, Admin Credential Program, Notre Dame de Namur University Dr. Charles is a member of the Board of Directors at Six Seconds, leads the MA program for aspiring school leaders at NDNU, and served as an educator and educational leader for three decades. In 2009, Susan retired from K-12 after 12 years as principal of Ohlone School in Palo Alto, CA. She went on to train future principals at the School of Education and Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University. Born in Antigua in the West Indies, Charles was educated at Santa Clara University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Solafa Batterjee M.A. CEO, Doroob, An Empathy Catalyst in non profit – a Change Agent in EQ & learning & Education for a better world & Future. Solafa is the Chief Executive Officer of Doroob Endowment Company, activating education in Saudi, Sudan & Kenya — and part of the BAC/ Board Advisory Committee for INJAZ -Saudi Arabia برنامج إنجاز السعودية. She is the Education Ambassador of Generation 2030 by Misk Foundation, showcasing Leader Saudi women on the Times Square Screens in New York City. She has participated in the leading role of women in humanitarian and education in many international conferences and is a TED speaker. She is an active ambassador, Certified Facilitator, Assessor & Coach, leading the partnership of Saudi Arabia with Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Network. She won the Award winner of Sayidaty Award, Excellence & Creativity.

Kelisa Wing, Ed. S. Author, Becoming a Globally Competent Teacher Kelisa Wing has been in education for 14 years. Her journey into the teaching profession began after she was honorably discharged from the United States Army. She served as a Youth Consultant for the Self-Expression Teen Theater (SETT) under the United Way in Toledo, Ohio. After moving to Germany with her family, she began substitute teaching, then transitioned to a Special Education paraprofessional, was a school secretary, and eventually, an Administrative Officer. She then taught 8th-grade Language Arts and Reading to military-connected students at Faith Middle School in Fort Benning, Georgia, has been an Elementary School Assistant Principal in West Point, New York, and is now a Professional Development Specialist in Virginia. Kelisa honorably served in the U.S. Army for six years and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Maria Angelica Malpica Olvera, CEO, Grupo CUDEC, Is the first daughter of Dr. Alfonso Malpica Cardenas and Dr. Angelica Olvera Garcia. She has a younger brother, Alfonso Malpica Olvera. Angelica has two great kids Fernando and Angelica. She was born in Tlalnepantla Estate of Mexico on March 3, 1979. Angelica is the CEO of Grupo CUDEC, a Mexican academic institution with 45 years’ experience in the field of education. Grupo CUDEC provides service to more than 7000 students starting from Pre-school to Doctoral degree. She has a Bachelor of Science Education with a degree of specialist in pedagogical strategies from La Salle University; she has a Masters in Systemic Pedagogy from Universidad Multicultural CUDEC and is currently studying a PhD in Systemic Pedagogy.

Claudia Wiedeman, Ph.D. Director of Education, USC Shoah Foundation The USC Shoah Foundation harnesses the power of its archive of personal testimonies from witnesses to genocide to develop empathy, understanding and respect through testimony. Claudia Ramirez Wiedeman oversees the strategic direction of the Institute’s global education program. Working with a mighty team of subject matter experts, digital gurus and program managers, Claudia ensures that testimony-based educational resources and digital tools are made accessible widely via the Institute’s flagship educational website, IWitness and other platforms. Through a network of global dynamic partnerships, a spirit of innovation and evidence-based methodologies and practices, Claudia and team continues to bring about positive change in almost every corner of the world. Claudia received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles in Education and Applied Linguistics and previously held a tenured position at a liberal arts university before arriving at the Institute.

Moderator: Joshua Freedman, cofounder and CEO, The Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Network, working since 1997 toward a world with more EQ. Josh is a Master Certified Coach and author of the best-selling At the Heart of Leadership