NMU Helps to 'Amplify Student Voices' on Diversity, Belonging

Northern Michigan University participated as one of 40 host institutions for the nationwide Amplifying Student Voices (ASV) Convening on Oct. 5. The hybrid event brought together more than 400 student leaders to engage in both virtual and in-person dialogues on the future of belonging, diversity and equity in higher education, and on strategies for fulfilling the promise of an inclusive democracy.

"It was important that NMU participate in this national convening because it provided a platform to listen to and engage with student voices directly," said Shawnrece Butler, NMU assistant vice president for Diversity and Inclusion. "These dialogues empowered students to shape the narrative around inclusive campus environments, offering institutions valuable insights into what students need to feel connected and supported and offering essential information from which to create student-centered policies and practices that genuinely reflect their needs and aspirations."

The event was organized by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) in partnership with the American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) and the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers.

Student perspectives gathered during this convening will contribute to the ongoing conversation about how higher education can better serve all individuals and communities. They will also inform the work of NADOHE and AAC&U and the efforts of their members, as well as business, community and nonprofit leaders seeking to advance more equitable and inclusive environments.

"Decision-making in higher education and in our communities should be informed by student voices and their engagement in a collaborative process," said NADOHE President and CEO Paulette Granberry Russell in a press release. "This student convening provided an opportunity for this collaboration to occur."

"Centering student voices and fostering the next generation of leaders committed to safeguarding democracy and promoting a just and equitable future is more urgent than ever," added AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella. "We are proud to partner with NADOHE in striving to achieve our shared objectives, grounded in TRHT's mission of jettisoning the belief in a hierarchy of human value."

The Amplifying Student Voices project is supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Lumina Foundation.

For more information, contact Butler at [email protected] or 906-227-1554.