USU's Inclusive Excellence Symposium Goes Virtual on Oct. 24

Utah State University’s annual Inclusive Excellence Symposium returns Oct. 25-29 with virtual sessions starting at noon each day.

The symposium is hosted by the Office of the President and organized by Aggies Think Care Act.

“We know that students thrive when they have a sense of belonging,” USU President Noelle E. Cockett said. “Utah State is committed to creating opportunities for our students and broader community to cultivate diversity of thought and culture, create space for global perspectives, and make our USU campuses more inclusive.”

This year, the symposium will feature four keynote presentations from Monday-Thursday, Oct. 25-28, highlighting the experiences of Asian Americans, individuals with disabilities, international students, and community leaders.

On Friday, Oct. 29, participants can choose from several workshops to translate the ideas they have learned throughout the week into actionable steps to make their own personal and professional networks more inclusive.

Cockett said she hopes the event will help those who participate act on lessons learned throughout the symposium.

“We are actively working to make our USU campuses more inclusive,” she said. “We would encourage everyone to participate in these sessions and learn tools to help ensure all Aggies feel they belong.”

In addition to the Office of the President, the event is co-sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs, Department of Psychology, Department of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology, Office of Global Engagement, University Marketing and Communications, USU Libraries, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Center for Intersectional Gender Studies and Research and the USUSA Graduate Senator.

The event is free, but pre-registration is required because participants will need a Zoom link and the workshops have limited capacity. More information can be found at thinkcareact.usu.edu/symposium.