Missouri State University
IN-4: Innovation 4

The inaugural statewide collaborative diversity conference took place in 2013. The first conference drew a crowd of 300+ professionals and students from around the state of Missouri. The conference also drew in 56 organizations, 21 from outside of Springfield.

During the annual Statewide Collaborative Diversity Conference, participants can learn to expand diversity networks and create a statewide community for enhanced recruitment and retention of underrepresented professionals, faculty and students. This two-day event is designed to showcase industry-specific best practices in cultural competence, intervention, pedagogy and research. Conference presentations are conducted within these four areas of concentration, or strands (i.e., research, intervention, pedagogy and cultural competence). The conference strands provide an array of presentations from all walks of industry and organization. In addition, each stand is headlined with its own keynote, one of which is always a sub-presentation of the main keynote address.

In addition to presentations, the conference includes an array of authentic exposures to the statewide network of diversity professionals and entities drawn to the conference. The conference features its own networking and marketing room where participants meet to have snacks and display materials for other diversity activity around the state. Major sponsors are provided podium time to express corporate missions and visions for diversity. The annual awarding of the Statewide Collaborative Diversity Champion is consistently the highlight of the conference luncheon because it recognizes uncommon demonstration of diversity principles and leadership among Missourians of all kinds. The conference boasts national “edu-tainment,” a premier feature that educates and entertains as a free public service to the participants and the general community. Finally, national keynote speakers complete the draw on hundreds of participants each year as the conference is host to the latest presentations of respective national diversity topics and issues.

Participants are exposed to:
• Creative examples of research-based diversity program implementation.
• Performance indicators and metrics that impact organization success and profits.
• Best practices for industry-specific training and sustainable results.
• Successful approaches to conduct diversity research.
• Unique opportunities for success and/or progression for underrepresented populations.
• Targeted approaches to cultural competence, intervention, pedagogy and research.

The Statewide Collaborative Diversity Conference is innovative in both its showcase of diversity best practices and its peripheral activities. Having sold out the first year of its existence, the conference continues to push Missouri State University to the forefront of statewide diversity leaders and to attract national talent for its annual keynote address and strand plenary. It is also the only diversity conference in the state to be supported by five regional teams and is scheduled to travel around the state beginning in 2017.
Positive outcomes of this conference include the following:
• Positions MSU for recognition of statewide leadership in diversity education.
• MSU faculty are exposed to diversity research from various industries.
• City of Springfield benefits from influx of visitors to its businesses.
• Recognition of new and/or elevated relationships between eleven sponsoring corporations in greater Springfield.
• MSU staff equipped with supervisory and co-worker diversity skill sets.
• The conference is point of origin for exponential statewide networks and development groups.
• MSU students gain direct knowledge of 21st century workplace interpersonal demands.
• Community can better envision MSU as a diversity retooling station on an annual basis.