Leadership in an Evolving World: Developing Thriving Workplaces and a Culture of Belonging

In this workshop, participants will work through conversations of unconscious and implicit biases through honest conversation and dialogue and work towards building an understanding of four key competency areas – intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and societal – to help create a sense of belonging in communities and groups you are leading now or may lead in the future. Whether looking to create change in the classroom, lab, and/or industry meeting room, learning how your biases shape how you perceive the world is the first step into better management. These four competencies will further aid participants in their journey as nondiscriminatory leaders. Refreshments will be provided. Registration is required; spaces are limited.

Join the First-Gen+ Center for a workshop dedicated to supporting first-generation college students on their educational journey. Discover strategies, resources, and best practices to empower these trailblazers as they navigate the unique challenges of higher education. In this workshop, you will gain valuable insights into the first-generation and undocumented student identity and learn how to create a supportive campus environment for their success through your current roles as a graduate student at Mason and in the future. Refreshments will be provided. Registration is required; spaces are limited.

In this special edition of Mason’s Safe Zone+ Program, Mason’s graduate and professional students will be able to take all four modules in one day, while having breakfast and lunch provided. The primary mission of the Safe Zone+ Program is to create a safer, more welcoming, and inclusive campus environment, to strengthen community, and to encourage networking among faculty, staff, and students toward the goal of supporting the well-being of LGBTQ people.

The Safe Zone+ Program is an evolving education and ally development program. Currently, it consists of four modules that help participants on their own allyship development journeys, starting with Intro to LGBTQ+ Communities, followed by Awareness, Gender, and Ally Skills Building sections. To learn more about the program, visit https://lgbtq.gmu.edu/safe-zone/. Presented in partnership with the LGBTQ+ Resources Center.

Refreshments will be provided! Registration is required; spaces are limited.

We encounter cultural differences everyday in our work and personal lives. As the world becomes more interconnected and complex, leaders must develop skills to work and live effectively with people from different cultures and viewpoints. In this workshop, you will have the opportunity to learn about your personal approach to cultural differences and commonalities, ways to build your knowledge and abilities, and the importance of cultural competence in your future endeavors.

This workshop will have three parts:
1. Taking the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). This an opportunity to take the IDI for free, which is a personalized assessment which usually at cost. Please bring a laptop with you. Pre-registered students will receive instructions for accessing the IDI via email shortly before the workshop.
2. Overview of the Intercultural Development Continuum, which outlines a developmental path of increasing complexity in understanding and responding to cultural differences.
3. Discussion of how cultural competence helps to create spaces where people can work together and thrive while honoring differences and commonalities.

After the workshop, participants will meet with a Graduate Student Life staff member for an individual debrief session to receive and discuss their IDI results. A sign-up schedule will be available at the workshop.

Refreshments will be provided! Registration is required; spaces are limited.

Leaders bear the responsibility of comprehending the immediate and broader contexts of various situations. In today's information-laden landscape, attaining a precise assessment of such contexts poses a significant challenge. This workshop aims to offer practical insights into the processes through which our minds assimilate and analyze information within the environment to facilitate decision-making. We will delve into the cognitive bias that may hinder sound judgment. Participants in this workshop will depart with practical techniques and strategies designed to bolster effective decision-making. Refreshments will be provided! Registration is required; spaces are limited.

Dr. Ashley Gaddy Robbins brings the keynote address for the Leadership in an Evolving World series. This keynote is dedicated time to address audiences on various topics to raise awareness, bring inspiration, empower, and provide a call to action. There has been substantial change in higher education and organizations across the nation around diversity, equity, and inclusion. While change is normal, it feels very fast and is impacting communities at an alarming rate. This session will discuss the changes in DEI and how participants can prepare for the shifts happening. Participants will also leave with information and tools to continue to be intentional and do this work and operate purposefully. The goal is to stay committed to diversity and civic engagement. Contrary to Sam Cooke's hit single, a change is not gonna come, it's here! Let’s embrace it successfully! Refreshments will be provided! Registration is required; spaces are limited.