San Diego, Feb. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Feb. 22-25 virtual Power of Engagement Summit, hosted by the National University System (NUS), is bringing together educators, universities and nonprofit professionals around the globe to offer approaches aimed at strengthening relationships on behalf of our diverse communities and youth. Reflecting current societal issues, the Summit will feature sessions on how to support pre-K-12 students’ social and emotional development both in person and online, and offers breakout sessions for participants to engage in meaningful dialogue. A special track of sessions is available to address current needs of the fundraising community.
"The National University System is pleased to bring together a dynamic group of experts, researchers and practitioners dedicated to education and serving our communities through the Power of Engagement Summit," said Dr. Michael R. Cunningham, Chancellor of the National University System, which includes National University, Northcentral University and City University of Seattle. "The Power of Engagement Summit is designed to strengthen relationships among teachers, leaders of youth organizations and nonprofit fundraising professionals, empowering them to better support the diverse communities they serve. The Summit builds on the powerful foundation provided by the Harmony, Inspire and Fundraising Academy programs and reflects our commitment to providing lifelong learning opportunities and professional development support for our nation's pre-K-12 educators and nonprofit leaders."
The four-day online conference will explore innovative implementation solutions from leaders in social and emotional learning (SEL), professional development partners, university partners, educators, and professionals in nonprofit fundraising. A recurring theme and area of focus will be in social and emotional learning, with sessions that include educators talking about ways to advance relationship building strategies online that support expanding racial understanding, distance learning and more.
NUS is a leader in providing distance learning and professional development. In addition to offering a Master of Arts in Social Emotional Learning, NUS offers three research-based online resources available at no cost to educators and nonprofits: Harmony, a pre-K-6 grade social and emotional learning program that has been recognized as being an effective SEL program by the national organization CASEL; Inspire, which provides research-based professional development for inspiring teaching practices; and Fundraising Academy, which provides resources and training on proven, relationship-driven fundraising principles for nonprofits.
Keynote speakers for the Power of Engagement Summit include David Adams, Sr. Director, Strategy with the Urban Assembly; Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, Ed.D., Professor of Education and Psychology with the University of Southern California; and Jacqueline Jodl, Ph.D., Sr. Vice President, Special Olympics. More than 30 sessions are offered during the Power of Engagement Summit and feature education leaders and teachers representing communities from New York City to Alaska. A few examples of the sessions include:
Creating a Culture of Harmony: Strengthening Our SEL Approaches & Practices. Susan M. Green, Ed.D., Senior Administrator for SEL, New York City Department of Education. Susan M. Green will present information on blending components of Harmony and other SEL-based resources in virtual platforms and the Material on Power Theory Framework Tool for Measuring Implicit Bias.
New Focus on Relationships. Larry Taylor, Senior Director of Youth Development, YMCA of Greater Houston. Larry Taylor will demonstrate how to introduce SEL to a team, and how to incorporate SEL into your current curriculum.
Trauma-Resilient Expanded Learning: A Vision for Transformational Change. Eric Gurna, President & CEO, LA's BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program. Eric Gurna will share promising practices for integrating a trauma-resilient-informed approach into learning programs and schools, and the importance of mental health partnerships.
“Relationship-building is key to learning and growing. The pandemic has created great challenges for our communities, and this ultimately impacts how our children learn and relate to each other in the online environment and in person,” said Dr. Nick Yoder, Director of Strategic Initiatives for the National University System programs of Harmony, Inspire and Fundraising Academy. “Through the Power of Engagement Summit we want to bring together educators and community-based organizations to share ideas that highlight the need for and impact of strong social and emotional connections in our schools and communities.”
The Power of Engagement Summit offers a chance to connect with thousands of educators and fundraising leaders nationally, while creating opportunities for small-group breakout sessions to encourage meaningful discussions and relationship-building. It will be hosted via the CVENT platform. To learn more about the speakers and sessions being offered, visit the Power of Engagement Summit webpage.
About the National University System. Established in 2001 to meet the emerging challenges and demands of education in the 21st Century, the National University System is a network of accredited nonprofit education institutions serving higher education and K-12 students including National University, Northcentral University, and City University of Seattle. Initiatives of the System include Workforce Education Solutions and the affiliate programs Harmony SEL, Inspire Teaching & Learning, and the Fundraising Academy Cause Selling Education. Learn more at https://www.nusystem.org/.
About Harmony SELHarmony is a social and emotional learning program for pre-K-6 grade students designed to foster communication, connection, and community both in and outside the classroom and develop boys and girls into compassionate and caring adults. An affiliate of the National University System, Harmony is accessible online and at no cost. Learn more at HarmonySEL.org.
About Inspire Teaching & Learning. An affiliate of the National University System, Inspire celebrates and develops inspirational educators through on-demand courses and resources at no cost. Through teacher training, Inspire supports social and emotional learning and inspirational instruction in the pre-K-12 classroom and with our partner universities. Learn more at InspireTeaching.org.
About Fundraising Academy Cause Selling Education. An affiliate of the National University System, Fundraising Academy prepares nonprofits and their fundraisers for greater, measurable impact by providing learning opportunities designed to enhance their cause, their communities, and the world. Through peer-to-peer instruction, our participants develop time-tested, relationship building skills they can apply to their operations now and in the future. Learn more at Fundraising-Academy.org.