The purpose of the Diverse Students’ Leadership Conference is to inform participants of the adversities and benefits within diverse academic, social and professional settings. The Conference is structured so that all of those involved will accomplish the following:
The founders of DSLC envisioned this conference as a way to bring students, community leaders, scholars, and representatives from corporate America together. The goal was to create a forum for examining the positive impact diversity provides to all types of settings. We could not be more pleased with how the DSLC has grown. Our intentions for the conference are to educate and foster intercultural interaction amongst participants. After experiencing the workshops, diversity showcase, career exposition, and keynote address, our challenge to you is to reconsider your thoughts on diversity and the role it plays in our world. Social injustices may always be present, but it is up to each of us to educate ourselves and to then take action towards changing the world for the better.
Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole is President Emerita of Bennett College for Women and Spelman College. She is the only individual to have served as the President of the two historically Black Colleges for women in the U.S.
Much of her work is now centered in her role as the Chair of the Board of the Johnneta B. Cole Global Diversity and Inclusion, founded at Bennett College for Women.
In addition to her 52 honorary degrees Dr. Cole has received several awards including the TransAfrica Global Public Service Award, United Way's 2001 Alexis de Tocqueville Award for Community Service, the Joseph Prize for Human Rights and The Uncommon Height Award from the National Council of Negro Women. She is the author of numerous publications for scholarly and general audiences.
An accomplished speaker, leader,and educator, Gweondlyn Dungy has been executive director of NASPA since 1995. In her capacity as a national advocate for students and the primary spokesperson for for stduent affairs administrators and practitioners, she draws on more than 30 years of experience in higher education.
In the international arena Dr. Dungy has increased alliances and collaborations between NASPA and associations and non profit groups in other nations. She was a consultant to the Center for Higher Education Transformation in South Africa in it work to facilitate the establishment of a national association for student services professionals in that country.
Dr. Dungy has served on the American Council on Education's Commission on Government Relations; as a member of the board of directors of the American Association of University Women's Legal Advocacy Fund, the AAUW Educational Foundation, and the Morris Shelter and Morris Museum; and as a trustee of Gettysburg College, the University of North Carolina, Asheville, and the California Institute of Integral Studies.
Our Board’s purpose is to unite the Saint Mary’s College community in celebration of the cultural diversity of every woman on campus. SDB helps foster awareness of and respect for the cultures, history, traditions, and religions of multicultural and international students at Saint Mary’s College. We aim to achieve our Board’s purposes through various events and activities on the Saint Mary’s College campus such as the Diverse Students' Leadership Conference.
*Each group of high school participants must have a counselor or an adult with them throughout the conference.
