St. Bonaventure University will join three other institutions to sponsor the inaugural Students of Color Leadership Summit for area college students. Alfred State, Alfred University, Houghton College and St. Bonaventure will hold the summit on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Alfred State College. {click here to download a flier}

Parker Suddeth, coordinator of the Damietta Center for Multicultural Student Affairs at St. Bonaventure, said the inaugural Leadership Summit will bring students from all backgrounds across the region to connect on issues of equity, action and leadership.

“Students will be given the opportunity participate in dynamic breakout sessions that will speak directly to issues they face regionally and nationally,” said Suddeth.

Presentations will lay the foundation for this year’s theme of “Equity, Leadership & Activism: Finding Your Voice.” The topics will speak directly to:

• Navigating student activism as a student of color in the 21st century
• Social justice in higher education
• Student leadership among minorities at historically white institutions
• Microaggressions: Tell me how you really feel
  

Dr. Yvonne Minor-Ragan, an influential leader and citizen of Buffalo, particularly on education and public policy, will be the keynote speaker. Minor-Ragan retired Dec. 31, 2015, as president of Buffalo Promise Neighborhood, an initiative that supports the neighborhood’s two schools and a newly constructed early childhood center, while working to transform the surrounding community.

Now president of YMRagan Consulting, LLC, Minor-Ragan serves on the Board of Trustees at St. Bonaventure University and the Board of Directors at The John R. Oishei Foundation.

For more information about the summit, contact Suddeth at psuddeth@sbu.edu or 716-375-2573.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, we believe in the goodness of every person and in the ability of every person to do extraordinary things.  St. Bonaventure University cultivates graduates who are confident and creative communicators, collaborative leaders and team members, and innovative problem solvers who are respectful of themselves, others, and the diverse world around them. Named the #6 best college value in the North by U.S. News and World Report, we are establishing pathways to internships, graduate schools and careers in the context of our renowned liberal arts tradition.