2023 Bridging the Gap Conference

"Reclaiming Our Narratives"

The theme of the 2023 Bridging the Gap Conference, "Reclaiming Our Narratives", focuses on discussing how students, faculty, and staff can reclaim control over their personal and academic narratives, effectively resisting stereotypes and institutional biases. 

Please consider joining us for a day of presentations, roundtable discussions, and engaging keynote presentations around critical topics including:

• Cultivating Cultural Competencies 
• Decreasing Bias Towards Persons w/ Disabilities
• DEI Practices in Higher Education
• Empowering Voices to Create Change

The Bridging the Gap Conference is free for all Moravian faculty, staff, and students.
Non-Moravian faculty, staff, and students will be charged $15 for registration for each participant.
 

Conference Agenda

Speaker & Workshop Descriptions

Claudio Josuel Alejo (he/him/él)

Bio: Claudio Josuel Alejo is a dynamic higher education professional from Jersey City, New Jersey, of Afro-Latine descent. His focus includes fraternity and sorority life, residence life, the first-year student experience, and first-generation college student experience, being a first-generation college graduate and TRIO Scholar himself. Claudio Josuel is dedicated to educating, elevating and empowering his students and colleagues through his pop culture programming and narrative storytelling. He uses an authentic leadership approach to connect with students and help them navigate their journey. Claudio Josuel holds an MA in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education from Montclair State University and a BA in History from New Jersey City University. As an alum from the Ibrahim Leadership and DIalogue Middle East program, Claudio Josuel is a world traveler who has interacted with a broad spectrum of national leaders, grassroots activists, and social and economic entrepreneurs. He is a TedX speaker and an author of two memoirs on the Dominican and Puerto Rican diaspora. Claudio Josuel currently serves as the Greek Life Coordinator at Montclair State University.

Workshop Title:  Viejas Raices, Nuevos Frutos: Reimagining Your Past to Shape Your Future

Workshop Description: So much emphasis is placed on tradition, yet is it transforming us for the better? Do you sometimes feel you have to keep up with cultural or familial expectations, stereotypes or the way "things have always been?" As student leaders of diverse backgrounds, we are rooted in pride and tradition. Generational customs are huge and oftentimes intimidate us to make a change. Do you find yourself acknowledging that there are traditions and behaviors that no longer serve its purpose for your personal growth and development? Do you want to make a change? Is there a system to assure your success and stability? This talk focuses on how we can take the traditions we have in place and evolve them to fit the needs of our current state, mindset, and to better serve ourselves and communities.

Dr. Karen Cameron

Bio: Dr. Karen Cameron is the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and Assistant Teaching Professor within the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at the Pennsylvania State University-Berks Campus. Additionally, she is an adjunct faculty member within the Occupational Therapy Program at Moravian University. Prior to this, Dr. Cameron served for over 20 years as a member of the Occupational Therapy Program faculty at Alvernia University; and as its Program Director and Graduate Coordinator. She held multiple leadership roles within the institution and faculty governance. One of her most treasured roles was that of Veteran/Military Student Faculty Adviser serving as a mentor and adviser to Veteran students; and as a liaison between these students and university faculty, staff and administration to ensure that their unique needs were being addressed, including specific needs related to physical and psychosocial disabilities to ensure academic success and degree completion. Dr. Cameron also maintains a 35 year plus professional practice as a registered occupational therapist working to optimize occupational performance and wellness promotion among those with physical and psychosocial disabilities and to break down negative stereotypes and biases. She is Board Certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Workshop Description: Decreasing Bias Towards Persons with Disabilities in the Higher Education Professional Classroom: A Personal & Professional Journey

Workshop Description: Assuming students with disabilities are less able to be successful in their education or careers is a common bias. While opportunities for individuals with disabilities have generally increased in higher education, attitudes towards individuals with disabilities (physical, emotional, and/or cognitive) have generally continued to be negative. Studies exploring implicit attitudes towards persons with disabilities were faster to demonstrate negative associations towards those persons with disabilities than positive. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the most negative evaluation of competence in persons with disabilities is more likely to manifest itself in relevant situations such as work and educational environments. Furthermore, professional education may also continue to propagate this bias through repeated reproduction of it and through practice examples used within it. The aim of this workshop is to explore potential areas for bias within the higher education professional classroom. Furthermore, it will provide opportunities for discussion of bias towards individuals with disabilities in the classroom and challenges faced by the workshop presenter to recognize these biases. Lastly, it will provide opportunity for discussion on how to identify actions or strategies that can be taken to address bias towards individuals with a disability, thus reducing the likelihood of reproduction by future generations in professional education and practice. Specific Workshop Goals: To identify areas for bias within the professional classroom Identify actions/strategies to reduce bias towards persons with disabilities in the classroom To prevent reproduction of bias among future professionals.

Julia Davis, Ph.D. NCC (she/her)

Bio: Dr. Davis is the Program Director and Professor of the Graduate Counseling Programs at Moravian University. She served as an Associate Professor of Counselor Education and the Coordinator of the Student Affairs and Higher Education Program at SUNY Plattsburgh. Formerly she served as the Director of International Education at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts and the Assistant Director of Study Abroad at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She received her M.A. in Secondary/Post-Secondary School Counseling – Emphasis in College Student Personnel Administration and her Ph.D. in College Student Personnel Administration from the University of Northern Colorado.

Workshop Title: I love college and want to stay forever. How can I do that?

Workshop Description: Has the college experience made a difference in your life? Would you like to find out how you can have a career working with college students and making a difference for them? This session will introduce you to Student Affairs – professionals who work all over campus. Graduates from any major can work in Student Affairs: enhancing the lives of college students, helping struggling students succeed, and getting to enjoy the unique work environment of a college campus. Come and learn about the many service areas that fall under the umbrella of Student Affairs, types of campuses where you can work, and what type of graduate degrees will get you into the field. The majority of individuals who work in Student Affairs can tie their career choice back to a specific part of their undergraduate experience that allowed them to truly grow as a person. Whether this is being part of a sport’s team, finding the right club, or connecting with a mentor on campus, wanting to create those pivotal moments for future college students is the key to entering the field of Student Affairs. This informational and interactive workshop will answer the question, “Is Student Affairs a possible career for me?”

Kara Mosovsky (she/her)

Co-Presenters: Dr. Sara McClelland & Dr. Natasha Woods

Bios: Dr. Mosovsky earned her MS in Immunology and Infectious Disease from The Pennsylvania State University, and her PhD in Microbiology from Colorado State University. Dr. Mosovsky is an Associate Professor and current Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences. Her research answers questions about antibiotic resistance and how microbial pathogens interact with their host’s immune system.

Dr. McClelland earned her MS from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and her PhD in the Biological Sciences from Duquesne University. Dr. McClelland started as an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Moravian University in 2020. Her research answers questions regarding how human-induced environmental changes affect vertebrate physiology.

Dr. Woods earned her MS from Jacksonville State University in Biology and her PhD in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology from The Ohio State University. Dr. Woods started as an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Moravian University in 2019. Her scientific research answers questions regarding how plant communities reassemble after natural disturbances. She is also involved in several efforts to increase diversity in the fields of Ecology and Environmental Science.

Workshop Title: Cultivating Cultural Competencies: Harnessing Diversity as a Strength

Workshop Description: Cultural differences are frequently seen as shortcomings, leading to the marginalization of individuals in both educational and professional settings. In this workshop, we aim to delve into the realm of cultural competencies, which can transform these perceived deficiencies into valuable assets referred to as Community Cultural Wealth. Participants will have the opportunity to explore their own cultural differences and reflect on how these differences have positively influenced their ability to navigate through educational and workplace environments. Additionally, we will provide prompts to encourage participants to share their experiences of Community Cultural Wealth with one another in small groups. Our goal is for all participants to leave the workshop feeling inspired and empowered by the rich diversity they bring to the table.

Dr. Chris Hunt (he/him)

Bio: Dr. Chris Hunt (he/him/his), is Vice President and Dean for Equity and Inclusion at Moravian University and Instructor for Racial and Ethnic Inequality in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. As a member of the President’s Cabinet, he’s responsible for providing leadership, guidance, and coordination on diversity, equity, and inclusion at the institution including oversight of a key priority of the University strategic plan. He regularly collaborates with students, faculty, staff, academic departments, administrative offices, and student organizations to embed DEI in all areas of the University.

The social locations of race, ethnicity, age, religion, socioeconomic status, and gender are aspects of Dr. Hunt’s research and scholarship. His dissertation, “When Millennials Meet Baby Boomers: Multiple Case Study on the Experiences of Black Male College Students” examined the lived experiences of two generational cohorts of college graduates who navigated predominately White institutions (PWI) during the Baby Boomer generation of the 1960s and 1970s as well as those same PWIs during the Millennial era of the 2010s.

The husband of a college dean and the father of three Generation Z children, Dr. Hunt is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and earned a Master of Science in Administration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Workshop Title: Why You Should Know About Racial Battle Fatigue

Workshop Description: This in-depth conversation will explore the concept of Racial Battle Fatigue (RBF) within academic environments and beyond. Our conversation will seek to unpack the layers of psychological stress responses prevalent among individuals, particularly students of color, stemming from systemic racism and microaggressions. As a phenomenon that manifests both physically and emotionally, RBF can significantly impede academic performance and overall well-being unless you have developed strategies to overcome.

Pauline Francisco

Bio: Pauline Francisco is a Political Science major at Moravian University, projected to graduate this December. This past summer, Pauline was an I.D.E.A. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accountability) Intern at the PR firm, BCW Global. As the former President of the Asian Student Union, Pauline has DEI programming experience in the corporate realm and in higher academia. They hope to use both of these experiences to "bridge the gap" between DEI in higher academia and DEI in the corporate realm.

Workshop Title: Moving Past Theory: Where DEI in Higher Academia Falls Short in the Real World

Workshop Description: This workshop aims to bridge the gap between DEI in the corporate world and in higher academia. Although higher academia serves as the foundation for many people's views on social justice topics, I find that there is no guide on how to apply these lessons to the real world. I did DEI work at a PR firm this summer and I want to discuss the differences between DEI in the corporate world versus higher academia. By identifying these differences, this workshop aims to apply some of the DEI lessons from the corporate world back into higher academia.

Lindsey Saykay (she/her)

Bio: Lindsey is a junior at Moravian studying Psychology with a certification in early childhood as well as a minor in Spanish.

Workshop Title: The Importance of ASL in Communication

Workshop Description: Through a facilitated discussion, the American Sign Language (ASL) Club at Moravian hopes to highlight the importance of communication among people and the significance of languages and ASL in communication as a whole. By sharing some of our own personal experiences about communicating with others as well as hearing from others' experiences, our goal is to recognize the difference one can make in their community with awareness and kindness.

Dr. Belinda Waller-Peterson (she/her)

Bio: Dr. Belinda Waller-Peterson is Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion at Moravian University and an Associate Professor of English. She teaches courses in African American literature and culture and the Health Humanities. She specializes in women’s health issues, maternity and illness narratives. She is also a licensed Registered Nurse in the state of Pennsylvania. Her nursing experience and English literature background allow her to explore multiple intersecting areas of study including the health humanities, women, gender, and sexuality, and Africana studies.

Workshop Title: Storytelling as a Way to Survive

Workshop Description: Storytelling is both an art and a means of survival for people of color. In this discussion-based workshop, we will engage how storytelling (oral and written) offers us an opportunity to create and share stories about our lived experiences and to learn about the experiences of others. Our discussion will explore contemporary examples of stories and storytellers, the challenges of telling our stories in predominately white spaces, and questions of authenticity in storytelling. My goal is for participants to leave the discussion feeling empowered to reclaim their story.

Parking

Visitors should use lots M, N, O, and A for the Bridging the Gap Conference. Those in need of ADA accommodations are encouraged to utilize the designated spaces located around the HUB.

Contact

Contact Alvert Hernandez at hernandeza03@moravian.edu for more information.

The Bridging the Gap Conference is intended to encourage historically underrepresented and marginalized students and those devoted to cultivating an equitable and socially just campus and world to gather and uplift one another, learn from our collective stories and lived experiences, and break through walls.