Michigan State University community members came together Aug. 3 for the third annual Inclusive Impact Conference, a day centered on learning, connection and strengthening relationships across campus and beyond. 

Held at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, the conference welcomed approximately 225 MSU faculty, staff, students and community members for keynote speakers, breakout sessions and opportunities to connect with others across roles and experiences. 

This year’s theme, “The Ground Beneath Us: What Holds Us When Everything Shifts,” encouraged attendees to consider what keeps individuals and communities grounded during times of change. Programming throughout the day explored three focus areas: roots, practice and power, moving from reflection on where people come from to conversations about caring for themselves and others and building stronger, more connected communities. 

The Division of Residential and Hospitality Services served as one of the executive sponsors of the conference along with the Office of the Executive Vice President for Administration (EVPA). The conference is led by MSU’s Inclusive Campus Initiative (ICI) in partnership with a planning committee of volunteers. Led by Project Director Meaghan Kozar, Ph.D., the ICI inspires campuswide collaborations that support inclusion across the university. 

For RHS attendees, the opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the university was one of the highlights of the day. 

“The energy in the room was amazing,” says RHS Assistant Vice President for Culinary Services Rebecca Selesky. “I truly appreciated the conversations that were had in the room on downtime and during the sessions.” 

Recruitment and Retention Manager for RHS Human Resources Dajon “DJ” Murphy also noted the energy and interaction among attendees as a memorable part of his experience. 

“What stood out most to me was all of the positive energy that was in the room,” Murphy shares. “I felt it as soon as I walked in and loved the fact that everyone was interacting with people who they might not normally get a chance to interact with.” 

The conference featured speakers and sessions designed to offer different perspectives while giving participants ideas and tools they could carry into their own work. Murphy says he particularly enjoyed the poets featured during the conference, as well as a breakout session led by Swapna Anil Hingwe, psychiatrist and director of MSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services, and Jon Novello, director of MSU’s Employee Assistance Program, which he described as impactful. 

For both Selesky and Murphy, the connections made during the conference extended beyond the event itself. 

Murphy said he left the conference with new connections that could benefit his department in the future, while Selesky said one of her biggest takeaways was the importance of continuing to build relationships throughout campus. 

First hosted at MSU in 2024, the Inclusive Impact Conference was created to bring together campus and community members to expand learning opportunities and advance inclusion. Grounded in the foundational themes of art, community and healing, the conference creates opportunities for participants to build relationships, share experiences and bring what they learn back to their teams and communities. 

Learn more about the Inclusive Campus Initiative here. 

Author: Charlotte Riddiford