MSI Convening hosted on Richland campus
/Higher education administrators will soon be attending a panel to gain insight into how minority students can become more successful academically. Richland College will be hosting the Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Convening Oct. 19 to 20. Educators and administrators will be attending the nationwide conference in hopes of discussing effective learning and teaching methods through technology and data.
According to Megan Farmer, Richland’s program services coordinator, “[The convening] is an opportunity for faculty and staff and administrators who work for colleges and universities across the U.S. to come and share their processes and data for maintaining student success.” The new processes are meant to help give educators and administrators new ideas and inspiration that hopefully may be implemented later on within the district and on other campuses across the country.
This is Richland’s third year hosting the convention, which will focus on minority students. This year, however, a small group of student volunteers who have been nominated by their college and/or university will be present on the panel. Two Richland students and three students from other Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) campuses will also participate along with administrators.
The presence of students is anticipated to be grow over time as they give their perspective into how minority students might be encouraged to be successful.
Technology and innovative teaching methods will take center stage as professors discuss what they have to offer. Staff will have the chance to take those techniques presented and use them in their curriculum.
“Then we can see what works for the campuses that maybe have a larger population of a specific student demographic so we can gain ideas from them and then we can hopefully share that and start using that so that students can benefit from it,” Farmer said.
Friday’s event will start at 9 a.m. with a visit and keynote address from Tia Brown McNair, the vice president for diversity, equity and student success at the Association of American Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C. On Saturday, Elva LeBlanc, executive vice chancellor and provost at Tarrant County
College, will deliver the plenary address. The convening will open up with the address and diverge into panel discussions and breakout sessions.
The information table and check-in will be between 8 a.m. to noon on Oct. 19 and 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Oct. 20. A continental breakfast will be provided on both days from 8 to 9 a.m. in Fannin Hall. Workshops will take place in Wichita, Fannin and Sabine Hall for those who wish to attend.
“You get to interact with people who have the same focus as you and you get to share your ideas and network and make connections,” Farmer said.
Though registration for the MSI Convening has passed, walk-ins are welcome. Admission is free of charge and participants may register upon arrival. The focus will be on finding new ways to encourage minority students to thrive in an academic setting.
The agenda is available online at www.richlandcollege.edu/aboutrlc/msi-convening/pages/default.aspx
