Two-day diversity conference set for Clarksville

Martha L. McCoy to deliver keynote

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January 15, 2008 | The Louisville Courier-Journal | Louisville, Kentucky

The Tri-State Diversity Conference is sponsored by universities in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.

“I’m excited about this being here,” said David Trotter, the Purdue Extension educator in Clark County and a host of the conference being held at the Holiday Inn.

In past years, Trotter said, the conference’s themes tended to have a narrower appeal. But he said this year the interest should be community-wide with the focus on the “study circle,” a concept in which a diverse community group comes together to work on a community problem.

In addition to the extension educators and college professors who generally participate, Trotter said, registrants include a local public school administrator and others from the community.

Peggy Ehlers, the Purdue Extension educator in Dearborn County and the conference coordinator, said Purdue, Kentucky State and Ohio State universities and the University of Kentucky came together four years ago to organize the annual event because of increasing community diversity and the need for more tools to bring different interests together.

“We saw there was such a need,” Ehlers said.

Martha McCoy, executive director of the Study Circles Resource Center, a national organization that helps communities with diverse backgrounds come together to solve problems, will be the keynote speaker Thursday morning.

Other sessions include seminars chosen from proposals submitted to a conference selection committee. Among them is “Struggling to be a Teacher for All Children,” a seminar based on conversations with elementary and high school teachers.

Another topic is about creating and maintaining partnerships with the growing Hispanic community to help create educational and community programs relevant to that community. And one seminar is on community outreach techniques that work.

More than a dozen seminars will be held during the conference. They are open only to those who register, but registration – costing $150 each -- will be accepted during the conference. The registration fee includes the seminars, meals and other conference activities.

More information is available on the conference Web site -- www.ces.purdue.edu/Dearborn/diversityconf.htm -- or by phone at (812) 926-1189.

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