CMU to host 2025 Klymyshyn Symposium on inclusive excellence
The 2025 Klymyshyn Symposium on Inclusive Excellence and Social Justice, themed “Growing from Awareness to Action,” will take place from Feb. 12 to 14 at Central Michigan University. This annual event, hosted in the Bovee University Center and the French Auditorium, highlights research and activism focused on equity, inclusion and social justice.
The symposium is named in honor of Dr. Ulana Klymyshyn, who served as CMU’s first Office of Diversity Education administrator and taught cultural anthropology. Dr. Klymyshyn advanced multicultural education and social justice initiatives during her career, retiring in 2015 with emerita status.
The event opens on Feb. 12 with registration and coffee at 8:30 a.m., followed by sessions addressing topics such as privilege, accessibility and thriving under pressure. A formal welcome and keynote address by Dr. Shawna Patterson-Stephens, CMU’s Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging, will take place at noon. Sessions throughout the day will cover diverse subjects, including health disparities, active listening and political inclusivity.
"We aim to encourage curiosity and foster critical thinking, while offering tangible examples of how to create spaces and opportunities where all can thrive," Patterson-Stephens said.
She also emphasized that this year’s event will feature the Vice Presidential Signature Session, which will include former Congresswoman and Mayor of Southfield, Brenda Lawrence, a proud CMU alumna.
On Feb. 13, the symposium will feature a keynote luncheon with Stacey Robinson from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, addressing “The Art of Inclusion and Advocacy.” Discussions will explore sex education access for minority adolescents, mentoring for equity and improving healthcare for individuals with disabilities.
The symposium concludes on Feb. 14 with a Fireside Chat, a conversational, interactive session, led by Interim Provost Paula Lancaster, focusing on the intersections of academic and inclusive excellence. Sessions will emphasize advocacy, equitable recruitment practices and student-led prison reform initiatives.
Students and faculty can register for the event through Microsoft Forms.
