Convergence’s professional trainings can be the catalyst for systematic change on your campus and in your professional role. Maybe you are newly learning how to be supportive of all forms of religious, secular, and spiritual identities. Maybe you are attempting to build power through organizing on your campus in order to create policies and practices that truly affect the entire campus culture. Or maybe you are just trying to address specific concerns on your campus, like how to support the Muslim-identifying members of your community or how legal precedents require your support for religious, secular, and spiritual identities.
No matter the question or concern, Convergence’s professional on-campus trainings are tailored for you. If you are looking for something that you don’t see, we may be in the midst of developing it, or maybe you can inspire us to new heights. The movement requires all of us to become innovators and collaborators. So reach out, and let’s find a way for Convergence to come to your campus as we inspire the movement to support inclusion of all religious, secular, and spiritual identities across North America. Payment is scaled from individual to institutional, and we welcome staff from any local campus, as well as those interested in campus transformation without a university affiliation. Please send your questions to J. Cody Nielsen at j.cody.nielsen@convergencestrategies.org
Ready to bring Convergence to campus? We can work with you to determine how Convergence can make a professional development opportunity work for you!
Convergence Principles
Principles for Supporting Religious, Secular, and Spiritual Identities
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Does your campus consider religious, secular, and spiritual diversity as a part of equity efforts on campus?
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How do you consider the needs of religious minority students?
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How do you anticipate the concerns of atheist, humanists, and other secular-identifying students?
Secular Identities
Supporting Atheist, Agnostic, and Humanist groups on campus
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How can you ensure a welcoming campus for atheist, agnostic, and humanist students
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What do you know about the atheist, agnostic, and humanist students already on your campus?
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How can you overcome issues of religious privilege that may be present at your institution?
HINDU IDENTITIES
Supporting Hindu Identities on Campus
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How could your institution improve to encourage more Hindu applicants from around the globe?
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What do you know about the Hindu community already on your campus?
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How can you overcome issues of anti-Hindu bias that may be present at your institution?
Jewish Identities
Supporting Jewish Identities on Campus
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How could your institution improve to encourage more Jewish applicants from around the globe?
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What do you know about the Jewish community already on your campus?
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How can you overcome issues of antisemitism that may be present at your institution?
Supporting Muslim Identities
Supporting Muslim Identities on Campus
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How prepared is your campus to support students during Ramadan?
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How could your institution improve to encourage more Muslim applicants from around the globe?
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What do you know about the Muslim community already on your campus?
How can you overcome issues of anti-Muslim bias that may be present at your institution?
DIETARY OPTIONS
Considering Dietary Accommodations and Needs on Campus
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Which dietary options does your campus offer to align with students’ preferences and requirements, either due to medical circumstances, personal choice, or religion?
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Does your institution hold its dietary options to high standards which are effectively communicated to the campus community?
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Is your campus a healthy and safe place where these needs are addressed proactively?
RESIDENTIAL LIFE
RSSIs in Housing and Residential Life
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Are the housing and residential life professionals at your institution catalysts for on-campus change to support diverse RSSIs
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In what ways do your institution’s housing and residential life policies and practices already support diverse RSSIs?
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What policies and practices can be proactively established on your campus in order to improve the environment for RSSI equity and inclusion?
RELIGION, LAW, & HIGHER EDUCATION
On Religion and the Law in Higher Education
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Is your campus up to legal compliance regarding religious freedom?
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Do you know the difference between “separation of church and state” and the First Amendment of the United States Constitution?
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Is your campus communicating a “hands-off” approach to religion?
Many institutions of higher education are in danger of legal issues related to not addressing religious needs on campus. This training provides oversight of the responsibilities legally of institutions, public and private, in supporting RSSIs.
RESIDENTIAL LIFE
Intersectionality with RSSIs 101
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How are RSSIs a critical part of DEI work?
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Are RSSIs the “roots” through which identity-based trauma and concerns comes from?
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Are RSSIs “the next broad stroke” of DEI efforts on campus.
This training is designed to help professionals integrate RSSIs into the broad DEI work occurring on campus. As anti-racist and decolonization efforts grow, the need to understand the concerns of marginalized RSSIs is paramount alongside addressing long-standing issues and concerns around white Christian privilege, hegemony, and supremacy in the academy. This training introduces a broad set of opportunities for discussion amongst all professionals.
Ready to drive change?
Let's discuss your Professional Development, Program Evaluation, & Organizational Assessment needs to unlock your organization's full potential for equity and inclusion.
