Early Bird

Meet this year’s Professional Development Conference keynote speaker

Ruha Benjamin, Ph.D., is an expert on the relationship between innovation and equity within education systems.

By Danielle Farrell

May 7, 2019

The Professional Development Conference Committee is proud to welcome Ruha Benjamin, Ph.D., as keynote speaker for the 2019 Professional Development Conference, “Shape Our Systems for Collective Success,” on May 30.

Benjamin is an associate professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, where she also studies the social dimensions of science, technology, medicine, race, citizenship, knowledge and power. She is an expert on the relationship between innovation and equity within education systems and on creating systemic change. Her keynote address will focus on the importance of embracing discomfort in order to make long-lasting, positive and inclusive institutional change.

President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., said in her 2018 Inauguration speech, “Great universities don’t just happen; they are built by a community that supports them, stands by them and encourages them to be better.” Benjamin will share how to identify inequities and give us the tools to rebuild our processes to serve our students and each other.

So what does this mean for you as a valued member of the Metropolitan State University of Denver community?

The traditional system of higher education was created to serve a specific type of student. At MSU Denver, our students are not traditional. They come from every background and experience, so it is imperative for us to reshape the system to support their success. We accomplish this by recognizing and valuing the diversity in backgrounds, thought processes, learning styles and perspectives in our students, faculty and staff, in the hopes of creating an equitable environment that encourages open dialogue.

Join us by registering for the Professional Development Conference on today.