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Klymyshyn Symposium
About
This annual event brings together students, faculty, community leaders, and national speakers to explore themes of capacity building, advocacy, and systemic change. The symposium blends academic insight with community engagement, aiming to foster critical thinking and tangible action toward creating spaces where all individuals can thrive personally and professionally. The 12th Annual CMU Klymyshyn Symposium takes place Feb. 17-18, 2027.
2027 CMU Klymyshyn Theme:
The Business of Belonging
Here's what to expect
The annual CMU Klymyshyn Symposium provides opportunities for personal and professional growth through learning and development opportunities designed to meet a broad range of interests.
Storytelling and Human Capital
Storytelling fuels organizational growth by transforming ideas into relatable experiences that inspire purpose, build connection, and cultivate trust and collaboration. Human capital encompasses the people, relationships, and practices that make work possible across business, nonprofit, and educational settings. This track examines how storytelling and belonging can deepen engagement, strengthen organizational culture, and connect people to shared purpose.
Higher Education
Higher education remains essential, not just for career preparation but for fostering curiosity, adaptability, and critical thinking. In a fast-changing world, it offers a space to explore ideas, challenge assumptions, and connect with diverse perspectives. Its value lies in preparing people not only for work, but for a lifetime of learning and contribution.
- Utilizing the BCSSE and NSSE to Better Understand Student Success and Experience (Scherr.)
- From Digital Access to Digital Thriving: A Call to Action for Our Campus Community (Jervinsky.)
- Challenges of Recruitment, Retention and Advancement: How Gender Shapes Experiences of Faculty.
- Narratives of Change: How service and volunteerism shape student learning (Hornak.)
Living and Learning Well
Supportive learning begins with creating inclusive spaces where individuals feel valued and safe to share ideas. Prioritizing well-being enables people to learn, grow, and thrive. This track invites participants to explore what it means to center physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being in their lives and communities.
Skillbuilding
Skill development and inclusion empower people to learn, grow, and contribute while fostering collaboration, innovation, and belonging. This track explores how inclusive learning environments foster collaboration, innovation, belonging, and organizational success.
Women in Leadership
Women who operate with confidence and integrity inspire others and redefine what leadership can look like. Grounded in vision, capability, and resilience, their leadership challenges outdated norms and creates pathways for others. This track explores the power of women’s leadership, representation, and mentorship to foster growth, empowerment, and stronger communities.
Next steps
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2026 schedule
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 Tentative Schedule
- 8 a.m. — Registration Opens
- 8:30 a.m. — Welcome and Greetings from CMU President Neil MacKinnon followed by The President's Fireside Chat
- 9:10 a.m. — Session 1
- Challenges of Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement: How Gender Shapes Experiences of Faculty at CMU Jack Day and Danny McQuarters Jr. Mackinaw Room
- Conversation Do-Overs: A Simple Practice to Reflect, Connect, and Thrive Kathy Irwin Lake St. Clair
- 10:10 a.m. — Session 2
- Navigating Differences 101 Jonathan B. Glenn, EdD Lake Huron
- Resiliency Pedagogy: Supporting Student Growth in Higher Education Matt Johnson Lakeshore Room
- 11:10 a.m. — Session 3
- The Use of Looking While Listening to Examine Spoken Language Production in Children with Down Syndrome. Dan'Yale Wright Lake St. Clair
- Narratives of Change: How Service and Volunteerism Shape Student Learning. Anne Hornak, Symantha Dattilo, Nora Beilmeier, Mallory Morrison, and Brady Sunderlin Mackinaw Room
- 12:15 p.m. — Opening Keynote Luncheon
- 1:45 p.m. — Session 4
- Navigating Controversies toward Liberation through GRIOT strategies. Tiffany A. Flowers Lake Huron
- Stories From Our Students: Hearing and Teaching All Voices. Gabrielle Likavec Lakeshore Room
- 2:45 p.m. — Session 5
- Enhancing medical education by amplifying marginalized voices: Incarcerated women, mental health care, and principles of narrative medicine Lorrie Garces, MD, MPH Mackinaw Room
- The Power in Our Stories: Building Pathways to Belonging and Impact Shanese Ross-Pierrie Maroon Gold – Combine Classroom style *90-minute session
- 4 p.m. — Closing Conversations
- 5 p.m. — Evening "wind down" hosted by the CMU Shared Governance Council.
Thursday, February 19, 2026 Tentative Schedule
- 8 a.m. — Registration opens
- 8:30 a.m. — Welcome and Greetings featuring Breakfast with Provost Lancaster
- 9:10 a.m. — Session 1
- A Journey to Liberation through Dialogue Jillian Matyorauta Maroon Gold – Combine Classroom style *90-minute session
- Compassion Fatigue; A Physician's Story Mildred Willy Lake St. Clair
- Breaking Barriers: Redesigning Academic Affairs for First-Generation Student Success. Teera Wilkins Lakeshore (First floor)
- 10:10 — Session 2
- In the Room Where It Happens: Intentional Conversations for Student Success. Kori Molter-Burlager Mackinaw
- Breaking Bias, Building Bridges: Authentic Storytelling across All Age Groups in K-12 schools. Yang Jiao Lake Huron
- 11 a.m. — Session 3
- Story Stewardship: Centering Disabled Narratives for Collective Liberation. Amanda Buzard Chippewa
- Utilizing the BCSSE and NSSE to Better Understand Student Success and Experience St. Clair Amanda Scherr & Heather Flanders
- Myth of Women Empowerment Anjam Chaudhry Lakeshore (First floor)
- 12 p.m. — Vice President's Signature Luncheon
- 2 p.m. — Session 4
- From Digital Access to Digital Thriving: A Call to Action for Our Campus Community. John Jervinsky Chippewa
- Discussing Menopause in marginalized communities Michigan Women’s Commission Maroon and Gold combine classroom style
- 3 p.m. — Session 5
- Developing Cross-Departmental Relationship; Capacity Building Collectively. Dreux Baker St. Clair
- BlaQueer Style: The Politics of Storytelling and Self-Definition in Black Queer Women's Fashion Work Donnesha Blake Lake Huron
- 4 p.m. — Evening "wind down" hosted by CMU MI-ACE Women's Network, CMU Faculty and Staff of Color Alliance and the CMU QTA.
Friday, February 20, 2026 Women in Leadership Schedule
- 8 a.m. — Registration opens
- 8:30 a.m. — Welcome and Fireside Chat with V.P. Shawna Patterson-Stephens, Division of University Engagement and Student Affairs
- 9:10 a.m. — Session 1
- Managing Your Plate, Owning Your Power. Vernique N Jackson and Janae Bady Maroon Gold
- She Leads: The Real, Raw, and Relentless Truth About Women in Leadership” Tiffany Pruitt St. Clair Third Floor
- 10:15 a.m. — Session 2
- Fire Up: Own Your Power, Voice & Vision Nathalie Osborn Lakeshore
- Empowered to Thrive: Strength-based strategies for resilience and connection in higher education. Gina Wilson *90-minute session Maroon and Gold
- 11 a.m. — Session 3
- Creating Mic Drop Moments: TEDx Inspired Storytelling. Brooke Moore Lake Huron
- 12 p.m. — Luncheon
- 1 p.m. — Women Who Lead Boldly Panel Discussion: Featuring Vernique N. Jackson, panel moderator, and panelists: Sarah R. Opperman, Ari Harris, Tangela Cheatham, Denise Williams Mallett, Sharon Heath, Carrie Iafrate, Jayla Turner, and Lilly Sponseller - Rotunda
- 3 p.m. — Closing Conversations
Hosted by the Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute
Featured presenters
Dr. Michael Gavin
Opening Keynote Luncheon Speaker — Wednesday, February 18, 2026 12 to 1:30 p.m.
At the start of the Fall 2025, when most people who work in higher education are executing their plans for the academic year, Delta College President Michael Gavin was feeling a nudge in a different direction. So, he announced his resignation from one of the leading community colleges in the nation to focus on building a coalition to defend and promote the value of higher education.
Dr. Jabbar R. Bennett
Vice President's Signature Luncheon Speaker — Thursday, February 19, 2026, 12 to 1:30 p.m.
As Vice President and Chief Inclusion Officer, Jabbar R. Bennett helps to guide strategic priorities for Michigan State University, making an impact on the global classroom through his work as a senior officer and professor. Along with growing partnerships among senior executives, deans, faculty, staff, students and alumni, Dr. Bennett is a professor of medicine in the MSU College of Human Medicine.
2026 Supportive Community Partners
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Members First Credit Union
Engagement Sponsor
Covenant Healthcare College of Medicine at CMU
Care and Concern Sponsor
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