Unleashing the Power of MSIs…. Power of Perception
Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are critical to higher education. We build institution capacity while sustaining student access and creating opportunities for historically excluded groups and first-generation and low-income students. MSIs provide academic achievement, college attainment, and degree completion rates. Today, MSIs are receiving more philanthropy support than ever before. Listen as foundation leaders discuss the importance of MSIs, their role in supporting them, and how we continue to tell our story.
Jasmine Haywood, Strategy Director, Lumina; Mellanie Lassiter, Head of Corporate Relations, Pepco William Moses,Managing Director, Kresge Foundation and Justin Schmitt, AVP, Corporate Responsibility, USAA
Moderator: Karl Miller-Lugo, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, University of Texas at San Antonio
1:30–1:45
Stretch Break
1:45–2:45
Plenary Session
CDOs at MSIs
Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) positions are in great demand in the current job market. Amidst the current climate, institutions and organizations are rushing to hire CDOs due to the pressure of addressing discrimination and equity in the workplace. MSIs are also witnessing a demographic shift within their own campuses. Will this increase the need for CDOs? This session will explore the role of CDOs at MSIs, how their remit may differ and how to create inclusivity for all students.
Tobias Guzmán, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and the Chief Diversity Officer, University of Northern Colorado; Mariam Lam, Vice Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer, University of California, Riverside; Del Ruff, Executive Diversity and Inclusion Officer, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University;
Tammi Summers, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Gateway Technical College
Moderator: Rob Henry, Vice President, Development, Culture, and Talent, Council for Advancement and Support of Education
2:45–3:00
Stretch Break
3:00–3:45
Elective Sessions (choose one)
Session 1: Inclusive Philanthropy: Difference-Driven Fundraising and Change-Making at MSIs
Inclusive philanthropy works across all colors, immigrant statuses, faiths, abilities, gender identities, generations, and their intersections. Our work disrupts the status quo that has perpetuated inequities for these groups at Florida International University (FIU) and in our communities. This session will provide attendees with tools to help identify targeted equity outcomes within their Institution and gain a better understanding of how to prioritize transformative solutions that impact the interrelating systems of equity, educational outcomes while engaging new philanthropic and community partners to co-create opportunity and prosperity.
Maia McGill, Executive Director, Foundation Office of Inclusive Philanthropy Organization and George Corton, Chief Development Officer, Florida International University Foundation Inc.
Session 2: Is Your Alumni Association Trending?
MSI Alumni associations assist their schools in recruiting new students, identifying potential partnerships, and supporting philanthropic activities. While there are promising practices to having an association in place, there are disadvantages to having a disjointed and out-of-date association. Fragmented associations can hinder student and alumni engagement and limit fundraising opportunities. This workshop will discuss promising practices to leverage relationships, successful organizational structures for alumni associations that can promote inclusion and diversity.
Rochelle Lindsey, Director, Alumni and Constituent Engagement, Morehouse School of Medicine
Session 3: The MSI vs. PWI Debate
One question advancement professionals often discuss is whether to work for a Minority Serving Institution or a Predominantly White Institution. How do I transition to one or back to another? What are the differences, challenges, and opportunities? How do you align with the mission? Listen as three advancement professionals (that have worked at both) share their experiences.
Leandra Hayes-Burgess, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Benedict College; Henry Taylor, Senior Director of Development, Agnes Scott College; and Carla Willis, Vice President, University Advancement & Communications, Saint Leo University
4:00–5:00
Plenary Session
AAPI – Why Representation Matters
Hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) have spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, much of this has been fueled by pandemic-related rhetoric. It is critical for Higher Education to remove cultural barriers and eradicate systems of racism. This session will discuss the current climate for AAPI advancement professionals and the important role AANAPISIs play in improving student retention, graduation rates, and language access among AAPIs and low-income students.
Tahsin Alam, Associate Dean of Advancement, Foster School of Business, University of Washington; Judy Nagai, Associate Vice President for Development, University of the Pacific; A.J. Nagaraj, Assistant Vice President for Advancement Strategy, Stony Brook University; and Hieu Nguyen, Vice President for Advancement, Harvey Mudd College
Moderator: Peter Hayashida, President, UC Riverside Foundation and Vice Chancellor for Advancement, University of California, Riverside
5:00
Conference Adjourns for the Day
11:45 AM–Noon
Welcome and Introductions
Noon–1:00 PM
Plenary Session: Closing the Educational Attainment and Opportunity Gap
Minority-Serving Community Colleges (MSCCs) play a vital role in educating our nation’s diverse student populations. For decades, the 300+ MSCCs have been at the forefront, developing strategies that empower historically marginalized students for academic success. In this session, you will hear from community college leaders about how they affect change at their institutions, the data behind it, the funding they receive, and how they collaborate (resources and experiences) to increase college access and student success.
Edward Bush, President, Cosumnes River College and Kenneth Westary, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Community College of Baltimore County
Moderator: Ann-Marie Thornton, Senior Director, Institutional Advancement, Community College of Baltimore County
1:00–1:30
Stretch Break
Take this time to check out resources in the library, and connect with fellow attendees
1:30–2:15
Elective Sessions (choose one)
Session 1: Using Metrics to Advance the Mission of Your MSI
Over the past decade, the use of metrics and benchmarking have become increasingly central to professionally managed advancement programs. This session will share findings from CASE research on MSI advancement programs, provide an overview of the benchmarking resources available to CASE members, and engage a panel of advancement leaders from MSIs about how they use metrics and benchmarks to build program capacity, make the case for investment, and understand the impacts of advancement on engaging and supporting minority students.
Monica Alejandre, Associate Vice President for Advancement Services and Operations, California State University San Bernardino; David Bass, Senior Director of Research, Council for Advancement and Support of Education; Reshunda Mahone, Assistant Dean for Advancement and Alumni Engagement & Sr. Director of Development, Emory University; and Anita Walton, Vice Chancellor of University Advancement, Elizabeth City State University
Session 2: Let’s Talk: How to Lead the Team Inside Your Head
In each of our organizations, people take on particular social roles. If not correctly led or managed, they can clash with others' assumed roles. The same is true for our mental team. This session will help attendees assess their mental team members and leverage a strategy to better lead them.
Attendees will leave knowing how to better define self-leadership, identity the characteristics of their internal (mental) team members, and respond to the common “triggers” that derail their overall abilities.
Pierre Quinn, CEO, The Cardell Group
Session 3:CASE Study: Courageous Conversation on the Shift to Becoming a MSI
Minority serving institutions are increasing based on the shift in demographics. As a result, institutions can apply and receive their designation (HSI, AANAPISI). The question becomes how does one “purposefully serve Latino and Asian American students?” This session is a conversation about the HSI journey for one institution Through this CASE study, participants will understand the current trends, the courageous conversations with stakeholders, and the impact on their students and alumni association.
Quinston Daugherty, Chair, Alumni Board of Directors and Cristóbal Garcia, Associate Director of Alumni Relations, University of Northern Colorado
2:15–2:30
Stretch Break
2:30–3:30
Plenary Session
Transforming HSIs
As the compositional diversity of colleges and universities changes, the ways we educate and serve students must also shift. Administrators, faculty, and staff must commit to transforming the institutional structures for serving to enhance the educational experiences and outcomes of all students. Dr. Gina Ann Garcia, the author of Becoming Hispanic-Serving Institutions, explores the tensions that emerge from confronting traditional standards and measures success for post-secondary institutions.
Gina Ann Garcia, Professor, Scholar, Author, Consultant
3:45–4:45
Plenary Session
The Power of Transformational Gifts at MSIs
Amid efforts to eliminate systemic racism, some Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) have benefited from the receipt of some of the largest gifts in their history. How are MSIs managing these gifts? What new potential has it unlocked for MSIs? How can these gifts be leveraged to promote greater investment in the MSI community? This session will explore the impact of these gifts and the transformational power that they hold for MSIs.
Marcus H. Burgess, Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Claflin University; Mildred Coyne, Senior Vice President, Workforce Education & Innovation, Broward College and Timothy Minor, Vice President for University Advancement, University of North Carolina System
Moderator: Leandra Hayes-Burgess, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Benedict College
