Our partners at Orbis recently sat down with all-star higher education professionals for their podcast Mindset in Motion with host, Dr. Bill Heinrich. To highlight the work of our partner organizations and shed light on ways to build a more equitable world, we asked Bill to share with us a summary of his last three Mindset in Motion conversations.
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I had the opportunity to interview three outstanding professionals who use a focus on equity and inclusion to drive their work in and adjacent to postsecondary learning. The common thread among these professionals was how each of them holds a deep personal commitment to inclusive student learning. At the same time, each person is situated in different career spaces.
We discuss how space design affects equity and inclusion in architecture and space design with Shannon Dowling, Associate Principal at Ayers Saint Gross.We address equity and inclusion in career training for students with intellectual disabilities with Beth Foraker, the founder and co-director of the Redwood Seed Program at University of California, Davis.We address equity and inclusion for student borrowers with Dr. Bradley Custer, senior policy analyst for Higher Education at American Progress.
Taken together we see advocacy for equity and inclusion in different spaces, where professionals are using their training and tools, along with adherence to evidence driven practices for creating equity, to make a difference in people’s lives. The outcomes are telling. We hear about incredible career placement rates, we hear about generational debt loads lifted, and we hear about the ways space creates belonging on campus, which we know leads to greater rates of academic and career success.
In all these stories, our colleagues asked the question: How can we make educational spaces better for students who aren’t included or don’t experience the benefits of higher education. And the answers are compelling.
Listen below or on your favorite podcast platform. If you wish to connect with Bill more on these topics you can contact him at bheinrich@orbiscommunications.com.