Educational Events and Programs

CSB provides campus-wide educational events and opportunities that further all students’ development of cultural competence and respect for diversity and social justice. Specifically we develop, implement, and evaluate programs and services that support historically underrepresented students in their personal development and transition throughout their John Carroll University experiences.

Community Meetings are a direct response to internal and external events that impact the student experience at JCU, especially students from historically marginalized backgrounds. At these meetings, student leaders and CSB create a dynamic space to engage in current issues while also exploring action items that are then shared with the senior leadership team in the Division of Student Experience and Campus Belonging. Community Meetings are open to students, staff, and faculty of all backgrounds.

This program celebrates and recognizes the accomplishments of our LGBTQIA+ and ally students graduating from JCU with a lavender cord. Additionally, the program recognizes community partners' outstanding contributions to making JCU an inclusive space for LGBTQIA+ students.

Since 2012, the LGBTQ+ panel has been a program featuring current JCU students, staff, and faculty sharing their campus experience as LGBTQ+ persons. The session is moderated by CSB Staff and the program can be tailored to one or one-and-a-half-hour sessions. To request a panel please contact csb@jcu.edu

PROGRAM GOALS

The LGBTQ+ Student Panel will:

Establish commonalities between panelist and audience members.
Stimulate questions from audience members.

LEARNING GOALS

Audience members at the LGBTQ+ Student Panel will:

Differentiate their understanding of biological sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender identity expression, romantic attraction, and sexual attraction.
Propose questions related to biological sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender identity expression, romantic attraction, and sexual attraction in a classroom setting.

Speakers in the LGBTQ+ Panel will:

Author a personal vignette detailing their identity development related their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender identity expression, race, socio-economic class, ethnicity, nationality, spirituality, etc.
Express their understanding and experience with biological sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender identity expression, romantic attraction, and sexual attraction in a classroom setting through dialogue with audience members.

Since 2012, the Center for Student Belonging has provided the campus with an annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Speaker.

2025: Mosaic Keynote Address, MLK & Ralph Abernathy: A Personal Reflection, presented by Donzaleigh Abernathy

2024: Cheryl Brown-Henderson ” Brown v. The Board of Education: The Legacy Continues”

2023: Voices of Inclusion Black History Month keynote speaker, Keith Beauchamp, filmmaker of the poignant movie, Till and a Maltz Museum Visit

2022: From Labs to Literature: An exploration of Purpose, Identity, and Passion with Nicola Yoon " Author of books Everything, Everything, and The Sun is Also a Star

2021: Mr. Delanté Thomas, Esq.: Examining the Legacy of Slavery Through the Lenses of Sports After 400 Years of Skirmishes

Community Hangout: African American Read-In featuring Poet Laureate of Cuyahoga County Honey Bell-Bey and author Chelbi Graham '19

2020: Nic Stone "Get LIT!" the author of "Dear Martin"

2019: Samaria Rice. "An Evening with Samaria Rice- Mother of Tamir Rice"

2018: Day of Discovery Across Northeast Ohio:

Excursion 1: Discovery Day @ University Circle
Excursion 2: Hear Our Voices @ Maltz Museum
Excursion 3: Rock& Roll and the Civil Rights Movement @ Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame
Excursion 4: On-Campus Film Screening of "Not Just A Game" (2010)

2017: Bishop Edward K. Braxton. "On the Racial Divide in the United States"

2016: Arun Gandhi. "Lessons Learned from my Grandfather: Nonviolence in a Violent World"

2015: W. Kamau Bell. "Ending Racism in About an Hour"

2014: Stefan Bradley, Ph.D. "African American Youth Movements in the 20th Century"

2013: Roy L. Brooks, Ph.D. "Racial Justice in the Time of Obama"

2012: Diane Nash. "Looking at Our Past, Examining Our Present, Creating Our Future”

This event is designed to recognize graduating undergraduate and graduate students and cultural student leaders.