Designed to support the growth and development of emerging and established leaders across the university, MLPI brings together professionals from a wide range of departments and divisions to engage in leadership development, networking, and collaborative learning. This year’s cohort includes 27 members of the ������Ƶ community��representing��diverse functional areas across campus.

The program is co-coordinated by Nita Skillman and Vicki Blocker, with facilitation support provided by Charlotte Williams, David Stout, Kelly Reimer, Laura Igaune Hill and Laura Kappert. Throughout the two-day retreat, participants began building relationships, exploring leadership concepts, and��establishing��a foundation for the year ahead.

Retreat programming featured several campus leaders and subject matter experts. Collier Lumpkin, associate director of career development for graduate school in the Student Professional Development Center, led a session titled��Strengths as a Leader, helping participants explore how individual talents can enhance leadership effectiveness and team performance. Rochelle��Stojnic, director of the Office of Professional Development, provided an introduction to the office and highlighted opportunities for continued professional growth across the university. Jim Piatt, senior vice president for advancement and external affairs, concluded the retreat presentations with��������Ƶ “from a 50,000-foot view,” offering participants a broad perspective on the university’s history, strategic priorities, and future direction.

Throughout the program year, participants will engage with six core competencies that serve as the foundation of the MLPI experience: inclusive excellence, leadership, building meaningful relationships and mentoring networks, skills development for higher education professionals, wellness and well-being, and understanding university decision-making and culture. These competencies are designed to help participants strengthen their leadership capacity while expanding their understanding of the institution and their impact within it.

As the cohort begins its year-long journey, participants are encouraged to challenge themselves, build meaningful connections, and embrace opportunities for growth that will enhance both their professional development and contributions to the ������Ƶ community.

June was officially recognized by the U.S. government as Pride Month in 1999 when President Bill Clinton proclaimed June “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.” Learn more about the history of the month��.

The GLC also hosts a Pride Month Community Coffee event on June 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Irazu Coffee. Attendees can get one medium iced or hot drink. .

Resources at ������Ƶ

• Gender and LGBTQIA Center��(GLC) in Moseley 209 provides support to LGBTQIA students, provides confidential support for survivors of gender-based violence, and presents on gender and LGBTQIA-related topics. The GLC is open during the summer, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on holidays. Feel free to stop by the office, email (glc@elon.edu) or call at 336.278.6228
• The Gender and Sexuality Living Learning Community��is a residential community open to any student wishing to explore topics around gender and sexual orientation.
• ��is a queer-straight student alliance ensuring a safe space for all queer people, existing for over 20 years.
• OutLaw��is a social and educational organization that fosters a supportive and accepting environment for LGBT students, faculty, staff and professionals at ������Ƶ Law.
• LGBTQIA Alumni Network celebrates��and connects LGBTQIA alumni by fostering belonging and advocating for our community.
• The Spirit and Pride Initiative��is a grant-funded initiative supported by The Carpenter Foundation and in collaboration with the GLC and Truitt Center to support LGBTQIA students of faith.
• RISE, a QTPOC student initiative, supports LGBTQIA students of color through affirmation, celebration, and elevation.
• CLEAR��(Coalition of Learning, Empowerment & Anti-violence Resources) is a��student-directed initiative supervised by the GLC that coordinates events and presentations on gender-based violence awareness and prevention.
• The GAP Fund��provides financial support to currently enrolled ������Ƶ students who are supported by the mission and programs of the Gender and LGBTQIA Center. The GAP Fund is made possible by generous donations to the GLC from LGBTQIA alumni, allies, faculty, staff, current students, and community members.

Community Resources

• ��is a nonprofit organization serving the LGBTQ communities of Alamance County by organizing an annual Pride festival.
• ��provides support for families and friends of LGBTQ people through educational materials and advocacy against harassment and bullying.
• ��is a community-led initiative created to form opportunities that inspire a sense of belonging for LGBTQIA+ and gender expansive people of any age, race and ability in Alamance County.
• ��(Greensboro) creates unity through programming and philanthropy that advances equality and inclusion for LGBTQ communities.
• ��works to to serve, empower, and advocate for the well-being of our diverse LGBTQ+ communities.
• ��supports LGBTQ+ people through services, programming, resources, and support networks that center their wellbeing and allows them to thrive.

Allyship Tips from the GLC

• Connect with any of the organizations in this article.
• Give��to the Gender and LGBTQIA Center to provide financial support for LGBTQIA students who are experiencing food insecurity, to have access to gender-affirming clothing and to make educational experiences financially accessible.
• Learn the history of the LGBTQIA communities from The Society for Human Rights to the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot and to the Stonewall Riots and subsequent Pride Parades.

Reach out to the staff at the Gender and LGBTQIA Center about other ways to get involved or if you are interested in volunteering with the GLC.

The competition gave students the chance to showcase their point-of-care ultrasound skills, compete with other students, and learn from ultrasound experts across a variety of medical specialties.

The team was comprised of students��Aria Keyser G’27, Varenna Minshull G’26, Trevor Minshull G’26, Sukriti Rai G’26, James Whitham G’26 and Chris Gentilella G’27.

Students��Varenna Minshull ’26, Trina Phan ’26 and Brooke Hall ’27 also competed in a “Challenge Bowl” competition and entered the second round.

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• The Month in Photos: April 2026
• The Month in Photos: March 2026
• The Month in Photos: February 2026

As the 2025-26 academic year drew to a close, May was marked by celebration, reflection and new beginnings across ������Ƶ. From Commencement festivities and awards ceremonies to end-of-year traditions, performances, and moments of community, the month showcased the accomplishments and experiences that defined another successful year on campus. These photos highlight some of the memorable scenes and milestones that made May a special month at ������Ƶ.

Engineering excellence

Students in ������Ƶ’s Department of Engineering��put their classroom learning into practice through six capstone projects showcased May 8 in Founders Hall as part of the Engineering Senior Design course.

Coolin’ on the Commons

������Ƶ’s Black Student Union held Coolin’ on the Commons in May, which featured live music, games and fun.

‘������Ƶ will never leave you.’

The Class of 2026 gathered Under the Oaks on May 19 for Numen Lumen: Senior Baccalaureate, a time for reflection on the light students will take into the world. During the event, Jana Lynn Patterson,��associate vice-president for student life, dean of student health & well-being, and assistant professor, reminded graduates about the importance of the relationships they’ve built at ������Ƶ. Patterson will retire from the university this summer after 40 years.

Think critically, lead empathetically

Candidates from graduate-level programs in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and Martha and Spencer Love School of Business received their diplomas during a joint Commencement ceremony on May 20 in Alumni Gym.

In her address, journalist and author Katherine Blunt ’15 acknowledged a challenging reality – that today’s graduates are leaving institutions of higher learning across the country and embarking on professional journeys in a world where artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how people work, learn and think.

But she reminded the graduates that��while many people may be tempted by the path of least resistance, ������Ƶ cultivates leaders who are deeply rooted in collaboration, communication and, most importantly, the ability to think critically.

Celebrating community

Ahead of and during Commencement Week, ������Ƶ held a variety of affinity celebrations celebrating and engaging graduates who share common identities, passions and connections that exist throughout various affinities. Those include Lavender Celebration, , Celebremos: Graduates Take Flight and Donning of the Kente.

‘Be-possible-ists’

During the 136th Commencement Ceremonies in Schar Center on May 22, President Connie Ledoux Book asked the Class of 2026 to look back on their��New Student Convocation in 2022,��1,371 days prior.

During their first year, the Class of 2026 all read the Common Reading book��“Factfulness” by Hans Rosling. In his book, Rosling described the word “possible-ist:” someone who looks honestly at the world’s problems and still believes, based on evidence, that things can get better, and that they are getting better. Book asked the graduates to be “possible-ists” as they enter the world.

������Ƶ celebrated graduates in two ceremonies — the morning event for the School of Communications and the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, and the afternoon event for ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and the School of Health Sciences.

Six Rising Stars in German Studies were awarded this year. Rising Stars are new students in the German Program who have impressed the faculty with their progress, dedication and curiosity regarding German language and culture. This years awardees are:

• Katherine Ragan
• Hannah Reeves
• Sasha Ronsayro
• Marshall Sears
• Elizabeth Walters
• Madison West

Moving from newcomers to seniors in German Studies, we welcomed 13 new members to Delta Phi Alpha, the national German Honor Society. Delta Phi Alpha was founded in 1929, and ������Ƶ’s chapter��Upsilon Omikron was established in 2018. We welcome the following students to Delta Phi Alpha:

• Colin Blount
• Fiona Hodge
• Haley Johnson
• Elisabeth Holmes
• Tori Layton
• Brooke Allen Menzock
• Sarah T. Moore
• Patrick Tuohy
• Zoe Richardson
• Matthew Rostan
• Taylor Salmon
• Elina Shah
• Cayden Williamson

The German Studies faculty also awarded three students with achievement awards. The Marsilius von Inghen Award was awarded to Tori Layton and Haley Johnson. The award recognizes Tori and Haley’s excellence in German language proficiency, cultural competence, and undergraduate research. The award was named after Marsilius von Inghen, the first president of Heidelberg Universität, which both, Tori and Haley, attended during their semester abroad.

Sarah T. Moore was awarded the inaugural Moffitt-Newman Award.��The Moffitt-Newman award recognizes academic achievement and sustained service to the German program. It is named for the earliest instructors of German at ������Ƶ, Emmett Moffitt and the Reverend John Urquhart Newman, who taught German beginning in the 1890s. Moore started learning German at ������Ƶ, and has taken it every year. She has also been an officer of the German Club and its president in 2025-26.

The festivities were accompanied by a delicious spread of German-inspired food put together by ������Ƶ’s Harvest Table, including Spätzle and Schnitzel.

On a Friday afternoon, the Gerald Francis Center was transformed from a quiet space of rigorous study into a lively hub of global play. The SHS Student Diversity Committee hosted its Cultural Game Night on May 22, inviting students, faculty, and staff to “play something new and meet someone new” while celebrating the unique diversity of the School of Health Sciences.

The event was well attended, drawing a diverse crowd that included students from three separate Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant Studies cohorts, the PT resident, and

multiple faculty and staff members.

As one student remarked, “It is nice to be in the (Francis Center) and get to do something other than study with other students that I only get to pass in the halls.”

The festivities were fueled by a generous donation of popcorn from Regal Cinema in Greensboro, secured by DPTE Program Assistant Angie Reid. Attendees snacked as they navigated a world of games, ranging from high-tech favorites like Japan’s Mario Kart to traditional staples like Africa’s Mancala. While a four-person Mancala board, Connect 4, and Uno saw constant action, the competitive spirit of the afternoon reached its peak during a custom Kahoot trivia challenge.

The Kahoot tested participants’ knowledge of cultural dress, traditions, and holiday celebrations from around the globe. Second year student Maci Yaeger claimed victory. Her winning edge? A quick-thinking identification of the Dirndl, a traditional female German outfit.

Beyond the competition, the event provided a space for meaningful reflection. Rousing games of Spades��and Dominoes were preceded by a heartfelt discussion regarding the cultural lineage of these games. Participants shared stories of how these traditions were passed down through generations, often learned at grandparents’ kitchen tables, and kept alive within family circles. This “drop-in” afternoon bridged the gap between academic life and personal heritage, proving that the SHS community is defined by much more than just its curriculum.

As the school year continues, the SHS Student Diversity Committee remains committed to fostering this spirit of inclusion. In June 2026, the committee will celebrate Juneteenth and Pride Month.

Presiding over the ceremony were The Hon. Catherine C. Eagles of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, The Hon. Stephanie L. Reese of the North Carolina Superior Court and The Hon. Bill Davis of the North Carolina District Court. Graduates were presented to the court by sponsoring attorneys before being admitted to practice before the state bar, the federal bar or both.

“Today is the day you can represent people, represent clients and call yourself a lawyer,” Eagles said during the Thursday, May 21, session. “It’s your job to stand up for people and to stand up for the rule of law. It is your job to conduct yourself uprightly and according to law, and to look after our system of justice every day in everything that you do.”

The ceremony was hosted by the ’s Young Lawyers Section, one of many held across North Carolina and the nation as members of ������Ƶ Law’s Class of 2025 complete their legal studies after December graduations and successful performances on the February 2026 bar examinations. Dean of ������Ƶ Law Zak Kramer delivered remarks welcoming new attorneys, calling the ceremony “the culmination of years of work and sacrifice by our graduates and their families.”

Jonathan M. Parisi, president of the Young Lawyers Section, encouraged newly licensed attorneys to engage in the legal profession and broader community as they begin their careers.

“This is not the end of your learning journey. It’s just the beginning,” Parisi said. “Seek out mentors, get involved in your legal community, and find ways to serve.”

Davis reminded them that their professional reputation will shape their careers.

“Your reputation is your greatest tool and your greatest asset,” Davis said. “Be thoughtful about how you interact with judges, lawyers, clients and court staff. Build a reputation that will serve you well and help you succeed.”

Reese emphasized the responsibility attorneys assume when clients place their trust, livelihoods and futures in lawyers’ hands.

“You’ve shown incredible strength and character in making it to this point,” Reese told the newly admitted attorneys. “People put their very lives in your hands. From today forward, you have that responsibility, and no one else can carry it for you. You are their voice. You are their guide and their strength in the storm.”

Eagles also encouraged the graduates to pursue civic leadership beyond courtrooms and law offices.

“Lawyers are often the people making the nonlegal parts of our community work,” Eagles said. “Find your place where you can make a contribution beyond the courtroom and your office.”

Presiding over the ceremonial court sessions were:

The Hon. Catherine C. Eagles of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina

The Hon. Stephanie L. Reese of North Carolina Superior Court for the 24th District

The Hon. Bill Davis of North Carolina District Court for the 24th District

������Ƶ Law graduates admitted to federal and state court

������Ƶ law graduates seeking admission only to federal court

������Ƶ Law graduates seeking admission only to state court

��L’25

About ������Ƶ Law

������Ƶ Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required residency-in-practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school’s distinctive full-time curriculum provides a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which offers exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.

������Ƶ Law has graduated more than 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in downtown Greensboro in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students. The law school is regularly featured in PreLaw Magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” rankings, maintaining an A+ rating each year since 2023. ������Ƶ Law was also among schools highlighted by Bloomberg Law in 2023 for its innovative approach to student development.

������Ƶ has applied to the American Bar Association to open a full-time, 2.5-year J.D. program in Charlotte beginning in fall 2027. The ������Ƶ Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study, launched there in 2024. Designed for students balancing work, family and other commitments to earn their J.D. in under four years, it will enroll its third cohort in fall 2026.

Rain didn’t stop the light of more than 1,500 ������Ƶ students shining bright as the Class of 2026 became alumni during the university’s 136^th Commencement Ceremonies on May 22 in Schar Center.

Despite the wet weather, families, friends, faculty and staff gathered to celebrate graduates who were encouraged not only to pursue success, but also to embrace failure as an essential part of growth.

Patricia Walsh Chadwick P’16, an ������Ƶ trustee and accomplished Wall Street strategist, delivered the Commencement address, reminding graduates that quitting is the “only true definition of failure” and urging them not to let fear guide their decisions.

“Pundits have a way of forecasting disaster every spring just as college graduates step into the world. My advice is simple: ignore them,” she said. “Technology will not be the ruin of us all; it opens far more doors than it closes. You are the future of the workforce, and that should excite you.”

The paths to success

Chadwick reflected on her own unconventional path, emphasizing that there is no “magic potion” for success. She shared how she grew up in a religious sect, which she later described as a cult, and was forced out at 17 years old.

“Fearful of the world, and in my naïveté, I turned to a single phrase for guidance: ‘Failure is not an option,’” she said. “What I hadn’t realized is that no one is immune from mistakes or failures. Those two words, dreaded by so many, are part of the learning process.”

Technology will not be the ruin of us all; it opens far more doors than it closes. You are the future of the workforce, and that should excite you.

Patricia Walsh Chadwick P’16

She also spoke about her son, ������Ƶ alumnus Jim Chadwick ’16, who had planned to launch a gaming company after graduation. After spending a year pursuing that dream, he realized it was not the future he had envisioned and eventually transitioned into private finance.

“Remember to take something of value from every employment experience before moving on to the next one,” she said. “I like to think of a career path as a circular stairway, where each success leads to a new challenge winding slowly upward toward your dreams.”

������Ƶ celebrated graduates in two ceremonies — the morning event for the School of Communications and the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, and the afternoon event for ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and the School of Health Sciences.

The Rev. Kirstin Boswell, ������Ƶ’s chaplain and dean of mulfifaith engagement, opened each ceremony with the invocation.

“As these graduates step into what comes next, grant them wisdom beyond knowledge, courage beyond fear and compassion deep enough to serve a world that is in need,” Boswell said. “May they use their gifts not only for personal success, but for healing, for justice, for truth and for the flourishing of others.”

Corinne Wilson ’26 performed the Star-Spangled Banner, and led the singing of the alma mater, while Mindy Monroe ’26 and Malia Horst ’26 gave a special musical performance of “For Good,” from the musical “Wicked.”

The ������Ƶ magic

Graduates reflected on the experiences that shaped their time at ������Ƶ, including the university’s commitment to undergraduate teaching. In 2025, for the fifth year in a row, ������Ƶ topped a “Best Undergraduate Teaching” list published by U.S. News & World Report.

“Professors can actually invest in you because of the class sizes being so small,” said Robbie Simpson ’26, an ������Ƶ native who earned a degree in exercise science. “I really appreciate that because professors get to take their time to understand you, get to know you and invest because they have a personal connection to you, so it makes them it more valuable to them.”

The strong relationships with faculty were an important part of Honors Fellow Diego Hernandez’s ’26 ������Ƶ experience.

“The time that the professors have taken out of their day and their lives to support us as students, that’s one of the best things I got from ������Ƶ,” said Hernandez, who earned a degree in engineering. “That’s something that I’m going to take with me.”

The myriad of involvement opportunities was also essential for graduates.

Autumn Goyette ’26, who earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in��accounting through the Love School of Business Accelerated 3+1 Dual Degree Program, says her time working for Residence Life and in the Love School of Business Dean’s Office has made an impact on her time at ������Ƶ. She will soon be moving to Virginia to work for Ernst & Young.

“I’m just so grateful for everything that ������Ƶ gave me and brought to me,” said Goyette, who is from Pittsburg, North Carolina. “This place is my home and has been my home for four years.”

Decked out in various graduation cords, Ella Allen ’26, a Teaching Fellow who earned a mathematics degree with teacher licensure from ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts and Sciences, was heavily involved on campus, including as an orientation leader and a member of Kappa Delta sorority. Next, Allen will be pursuing her Master’s of Higher Education at ������Ƶ. She noted that the people and support she received at ������Ƶ were invaluable.

Lilly Ikle ’26 of Baltimore, Maryland, earned a��cinema & television arts��degree from the School of Communications. She says the time has flown by and she feels like she was “dropped off yesterday.” Ikle initially came to ������Ƶ for its nationally recognized musical theatre program and for ������Ƶ’s ability to work with students with learning disabilities.

“My major really helped me get that creative outlet that I wanted in musical theater, but it also gave me the practical side of work I wanted to do in the future,” said Ikle, who plans to move to Nashville after graduation to pursue music. “My major gave me a creative outlet, let me get kind of that artsy side out of me, but also taught me things that I can bring into the real world.”

The Class of 2026 includes many stand-out stories:

• After a trip to Ecuador, Bernardo Vargas-Lopez ’26, who earned a degree in��sport management, and Juan Daniel Chiriboga ’26, who earned a degree in��entrepreneurship & innovation, built��YAPA, a plant-based energy drink shaped by friendship, curiosity and mentorship.
• Kaitlyn Lewis ’26, who earned a degree in��elementary education, came to ������Ƶ through three of the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education’s primary scholarship programs: Alamance Scholars, NC Teaching Fellows and, post-graduation, Teach for Alamance.
• Jonathan Weaver ’26 originally intended to go into finance, but through exploration and faculty mentorship, switched his major to biology, and is now going to dental school at The Ohio State University.
• Being waitlisted for one program allowed Allie Schult ’26 to realize her true passion for nursing.��She now has a post-graduate position at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
• Rony Dahdal ’26, a Goldwater Scholar and Lumen Scholar, earned a degree in��computer science, mathematics and philosophy��and did three different undergraduate research projects while at ������Ƶ. The first was helping to create a mathematical model of complex equations that predict how the human immune system responds to COVID-19; another was developing an autonomous robotic arm to monitor and tend to crops by training the 3D machine-learning model to understand plant anatomy, and a third was developing a method to gather medical vital signs.

All of these students were helped by what student commencement speaker Ruby Radis ’26��of Chicago called the “������Ƶ magic.” Radis, who earned a degree in��human service studies,��delivered the “Message of Appreciation” on Friday.

“From the moment I stepped onto this beautiful brick-covered campus, one truth became clear: there is magic here,” Radis said. “That ������Ƶ magic builds a community where students know their neighbors, teachers and coworkers.��Rather
than a quick hello, connections are founded on respect.”

Radis emphasized that ������Ƶ helped “emphasize the value of human difference,” and her fellow graduates should take that forward with them.

“Using those lessons, we can work together to uplift each other, amplify voices often left unheard and sprinkle a little of our very own ������Ƶ magic on everyone we meet,” Radis said.

That ������Ƶ magic builds a community where students know their neighbors, teachers and coworkers.��Rather��than a quick hello, connections are founded on respect.

Ruby Radis ’26

Be possible-ists

In her charge to the graduates, ������Ƶ President Connie Ledoux Book asked the Class of 2026 to look back on their New Student Convocation in 2022,��1,371 days prior.

“That morning, we placed an acorn in your hand, and I asked you to do something simple, and yet profound: To grow deep roots, and to reach high. Today, I look out at you, and I see what’s grown,” Book said.

During their first year, the Class of 2026 all read the Common Reading book��“Factfulness” by Hans Rosling. In his book, Rosling described the word “possible-ist:” someone who looks honestly at the world’s problems and still believes, based on evidence, that things can get better, and that they are getting better.

“Class of 2026, through your ������Ƶ journey,��you have grown into��these��possible-ists,” she said.��“You have learned to hold complexity without losing hope, to see what’s broken without losing your willingness to build, to zoom out and recognize progress, and to keep moving forward.��That is the ������Ƶ way, and the world needs��more of��it.”

View the full undergraduate commencement program online.

Performers can either do karaoke, sing an original song, or lip sync — the one stipulation is that it must be in a language other than English. This year, there were 14 performances with songs in 10 different languages:��French, Spanish, German, Arabic, Italian, Korean, Indonesian, Japanese, and Old French/Latin.

Global Vision was inspired by the Euro Vision Song Contest, which has been hosted since 1956. However, the event at ������Ƶ is for languages across the globe, not only languages spoken in Europe.

������Ƶ’s performers were rated in the categories singing, language skills, and performance by Sandy Marshall (Global Neighborhood), Bethanny Sudibyo (World Languages and Cultures), Trudy Arling (Polygot LLC RA), and Joel Thomas (Campus Safety and Police).

There were three prize baskets for the winners filled with international candies, snacks and drinks. In addition to the sweet treats, the first-place winners also went home with a trophy!

Congratulations to this year’s winners:

• 1st place – Vee Brown performed in Italian
• 2nd place – Emma Arruda performed in French
• 3rd place – Tamar Kalisher performed in French/Latin

������Ƶ’s sixth Global Vision Song Contest is scheduled for Spring 2027.

These universities are two of many institutions that collaborate and represent FDHE, an international organization that specializes in human-centered design thinking in higher education. The organizers of the FDHE convention are committed to building a community built on exchanging new ideas about design thinking and interdisciplinary work programs.

The concluding day’s activities will be held at ������Ƶ and hosted by ������Ƶ’s Center for Design Thinking and Maker Hub. These activities will include presentations on the long-term values of design thinking, integrating artificial intelligence into the design thinking process and a closing celebration.

In preparation for this three-day-long conference, the Center has been hosting small virtual sessions every third Friday of the month since January called Forging Fridays. These sessions are hosted by various design thinking leaders who focus on emerging strategies, methods and ideas. Participants leave these workshops with strategies that make a significant impact, but are practical implementations in their professional, personal, and civic lives.

There have been four of these sessions so far, This session will feature , who specializes in integrating mechanical engineering with industrial design processes at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Li’s focus within this Forging Friday session will focus on how to identify when and what mindsets will be the most meaningful and transformative to an individual within their design thinking process.

Previous speakers for the Forging Fridays series include , , ��and .

The lead-up to the FDHE convention with these Forging Fridays sessions is replacing the Center’s typical Design Forge convention. These meetings are the Center’s project on gathering design thinking educators, practitioners, and thought leaders to address a topic of interest in higher education, collaboration within the design thinking community, and establishing new opportunities for enhanced student learning.

For more information on past Design Forge topics, a full archive of the conventions since 2018 can be accessed here.