The Nebraska Community of Learners — Understanding Diversity through Education, will host its second and final meeting for the spring semester April 4, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom.

For this virtual session, Arden Eli Hill will discuss how he sets up the semester’s expectations around inclusion with pre-semester documents and activities, as well as his work with the William H. Thompson Scholars program to help prepare instructors to discuss diversity in the classroom. Hill will present his promising practices and allow time to ask questions from the audience and engage in discussion about inclusive classroom environments. The meeting is welcome to all.

While curating and delivering academic content are tantamount tasks undertaken by instructors at the university, instructors must also work to shape a classroom culture that facilitates their diverse students’ learning. However, fostering an inclusive classroom environment wherein all students’ identities are respected is no easy feat. This session will highlight the use of classroom materials, activities and inclusive language expectations to lay the foundation for respectful classroom environments. Registration is now open on the NCLUDE website.

Arden is a Gaffney/Academy of American Poets award winner who has published in Willow Springs, Western Humanities Review, Kaleidoscope, Breath and Shadow, the Lambda Literary award-winning anthology First Person Queer, its sequel, Second Person Queer, and most recently, Hip Mama. His science fiction poem, “None of the Star Trek Ships are named after confederate Generals,” is forthcoming from Strange Horizons, and his first chapbook, “Bloodwater Parish,” is forthcoming from Seven Kitchens Press.

“NCLUDE has been a space to cultivate conversations and experiences that will foster ongoing learning and engagement surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Nkenge Friday, assistant vice chancellor for strategic initiatives. “With our final session of the academic year, we hope to impart for our community, strategies and practices that speak towards inclusive learning environments. We also welcome conversations on strategies employed by members of the community, as it is through sharing that we truly manifest cultures of belonging.”

Follow the Office of Diversity and Inclusion on social media and share your NCLUDE experience with the hashtag #NCLUDE.

Email diversity@unl.edu if you’re interested in facilitating a NCLUDE session in 2022-2023.