Bemidji State University’s Center for Professional Development welcomed faculty back to campus with the inaugural BSU TODAY! mini-conference, a day-long event featuring presentations from BSU faculty on students and factors affecting their success in college.

Jamie Washington, president and co-founder of the Social Justice Training Institute, opened the conference with a keynote address on the skills and tools college campuses need to serve their students while making efforts to have a more diverse student body.

Other presentations included a look at millennial and “zillennial” students by Dr. Donna Pawlowski, professor of communication studies; a presentation on student demographics and retention data by Dr. Jesse Grant, associate vice president for student success; and a panel conversation on cultural responsiveness and practice in the classroom led by Dr. Brian Xiong, coordinator of BSU’s Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.