USC Aiken Hosts Inaugural Spark Summit
On Oct 3 the university hosted the Inaugural Spark Summit. This event aimed to provide educational resources to students and the Aiken community. Some topics presented included health inequities, neurodivergence, race and sexuality.
Presenters for the event held different roles within the community and were able to speak about issues they felt to be important to them.
Dr. Mary Moussa Rogers, assistant professor at the University of South Carolina Aiken, held “Challenging Conversations: How best to Support LGBTQIA+ Students in a Challenging Landscape”.
Dr. Kayla Hostetler, an English educator and mentor at Aiken High School, held “Empowering Youth Voice and Activism”
Dr. Christine Crawford, Diversity and Inclusion Network Chair for Aspen Global Leadership Network, held “A Journey in Entrepreneurship”
Dr. Crystal Ratliff, Dean of Student Success & Retention of Aiken Technical College, held “‘Fast Food’ Mentality in a ‘Food Desert’ Climate: An Institutional Perspective from Human Resources, Faculty, and Student Services Professionals”
Dr. Sheine Peart, a Reader in Access, Equality and Inclusion at Bishop Grosseteste University (UK) presented “Race and Education in English Schools – From Windrush to the Current Day”
Mitch Combs, Assistant Professor of Communication at the University of South Carolina Aiken, held “Integrating OERs within Classrooms: Opening Access to Student-Educator Success at USCA and Beyond”
Liz Dille, Director of International Programs at the University of South Carolina Aiken, presented “Educators Anonymous: Toxic Environments, Mental Health, and Self-Care in Education.”
Dr. Michelle Rasheed, Assistant Professor – School of Education at the University of South Carolina Aiken, presented “Spatial Stereotyping & Stigma: An Examination of Rural Place Bias”
Dr. Jamel Hodges, Director of Institutional Culture and Belonging at the University of South Carolina Aiken, presented “When Worlds Collide: When Politics Meets Education”
Dr. Michelle Petrie, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of South Carolina Aiken, presented “Determinants of belonging among USCA students: Results from a campus-wide study.”
Dr. Stephanie Orozco, Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina Aiken, presented “The Use of Technology for Cultural Competency”
Dr. Judy Beck, Dean, School of Education at the University of South Carolina Aiken, presented “Someone Who Looks Like Me: Recruiting and Retaining Teachers of Color”
One of the greatest examples of this is Dr. Sheine Peart from Bishope Grosseteste University in the UK. Students, faculty, staff, and community members were able to engage with these presenters in all of these topics and more -Dr. Jamel Hodges on the diversity of Spark Summit Presenters
The event is said to have had an amazing turnout. The students who attended received ICE Credit and the K-12 educators received Professional Learning Units for their attendance.
