The Office of Institutional Transformation is coordinating a new initiative that makes it easier to identify on-campus experts who can deliver keynote presentations or guide discussions on a variety of topics related to creating an environment of welcome and belonging.
The Institutional Transformation Speakers Bureau is an online database that includes more than 20 faculty and staff members who have a passion for and experience in cultivating an inclusive environment. The listing is housed on the office’s website.
“Our office routinely fields inquiries from people within and beyond the Notre Dame campus community who are interested in exploring a wide variety of theoretical and pragmatic issues related to DEI and institutional transformation,” said Rev. Hugh Page, Jr., vice president for institutional transformation and advisor to the president. “The areas of interest and queries are wide-ranging, and we have come to appreciate, particularly from our interactions with practitioners across campus, the deep wellsprings of expertise we have among faculty and staff at Notre Dame. Our hope is to facilitate engagement with and connection to those colleagues.”
The Speakers Bureau can be a resource for anyone seeking specific insights on or a better understanding of the experiences and needs of first-generation students and those from low-income backgrounds, the LGBTQIA+ community, underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities (particularly Black, indigenous/Native, international, and Latino populations), and women. More broadly, the presenters bring knowledge on topics such as allyship, communicating across differences, compassionate listening circles, educational access, engagement, imposter syndrome, leadership, and well-being.
Connecting with a member of the Speakers Bureau is simple. Review the list of faculty and staff and their topics, and reach out to a potential speaker via their listed email address once you’ve identified a good fit for your group. If you have a question about a topic that isn’t listed or would like to volunteer to be included as a speaker, please contact the Office of Institutional Transformation.
“We are delighted to offer this service to the campus community as an example of how building a Beloved Community is not the work of a single person or office. It is a collective endeavor that involves leveraging our talents, convictions, and compassion for one another. It is spiritual work aimed at helping Notre Dame achieve its aspirations as an inclusive and welcoming Catholic university,” Page said.