Building an Ecosystem: Strengthening Connections and Networks among Diverse Institutions

Posted in 2021 Panel Session  |  Tagged ,

The sixth and final panel session of the institute examined the questions (6.1) What’s possible for effective partnerships with communities and schools to address issues of undermatching? (6.2) What’s possible to broaden who is included in “higher education?” and (6.3) What’s possible now that wasn’t before in terms of institutional partnerships? Looking at the paradigmatic changes over the past year in education, the three panels explored what could be leveraged to forge and deepen relationships across the education ecosystem to advance our goals of diversity, equity, and justice.

6.1 What’s possible for effective partnerships with communities and schools to address issues of undermatching?

Dr Camika Royal 1:01 | Rob Watson 13:32 | Jerome Smalls 29:05

This panel asks us to take into consideration the broader context that schooling and higher education are steeped in. Out-of-school factors like access to resources, college advising, and other environmental factors have a large influence on undermatching. Addressing these factors could improve an individual’s chances of success without feeling like they are reliant on luck, as said by panelist Jerome Smalls.

Panelists

  • Dr. Camika Royal
    Associate Professor of Urban Education
    Loyola University Maryland
  • Jerome Smalls
    Program Manager, The Pivotal Network
    Georgetown University
  • Rob Watson
    Director for Partnerships and Community Impact at the Education Redesign Lab (EdRedesign)
    Harvard University
  • Dr. Heidi Elmendorf
    Director, The Hub for Equity and Innovation in Higher Education
    Georgetown University

Presentation Slides

Resources

6.2 What’s possible to broaden who is included in “higher education?”

LeNaya Hezel 2:45 | Marc Howard 12:05 | Marc Howard Documentary Presentation 22:09

The application process comes under a microscope in this panel, as diversity officer LeNaya Hezel focuses on building community, and Marc Howard discusses his research contributions in the area of incarceration and educational opportunity.

Panelists

Resources

6.3 What’s possible now that wasn’t before in terms of institutional partnerships?

Bret Eynon 2:02 | Heather Adams 11:24 | Alexandra Slack 17:49 | Ariel Murphy Bedford 24:37

The pandemic forced institutions to adapt; while these adjustments were imperfect in many ways, they also meant that new attitudes and capabilities were developed. Many people came around to the potential of remote learning; furthermore, many educators have a deeper understanding of their role not only as facilitators of knowledge but also as community builders. In this panel, educators representing a variety of different levels of higher education discuss these developments and what they mean for the future of equity in higher ed. 

Panelists

Presentation Slides

  • Alexandra Slack Slides
  • Ariel Murphy slides

Resources