This year's keynote address,
"Belonging Beyond Barriers: Honoring the Strengths and Needs of the UMM First-Generation Community," will be presented by Dr. Kelly Collins, from the Office of Equity and Diversity at UMN Twin Cities. This keynote and extended follow-up workshop will explore how we can move beyond access to cultivate true belonging for first-generation students and community members at UMM. Grounded in an asset-based framework, it will highlight the strengths, knowledge, and skill sets that first-generation individuals bring, while also naming the structural and cultural barriers they navigate. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the local and national first-generation community and practical strategies for fostering learning and working environments where first-gen community members are seen, supported, and able to thrive.
Kelly Collins, PhD, is the Director of Education at the University of Minnesota's Office for Equity and Diversity. A graduate of the University of Minnesota's Organizational Leadership and Policy Development doctoral program, Kelly began her career as an advisor for first-generation, low-income college students in the TRIO programs at the University of Iowa, where she also received a master's degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs and served on the Native American Staff and Faculty Council. Kelly has served as the Associate Director of Racial and Social Justice Education at the University of Minnesota and as the Native American Student Success Coordinator and Community Faculty in Ethics Studies at Metropolitan State University. She currently serves as a steering community member of the University of Minnesota's First Generation Institute and the University Indigenous Women & Women of Color Affinity Group. Kelly is a proud first-generation alumni and professional, community activist, intergenerational caregiver, traditional beadworker, and access and equity scholar and practitioner.
Webinar Link for those unable to attend in person.
