April 11, 2025 |Commonwealth University - Bloomsburg |400 E 2nd St, Bloomsburg, PA 17815
Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg
Join fellow faculty, staff, and students for a day of empowerment, collaboration, and inspiration!
The one-day conference includes breakfast, lunch, snacks, as well as a keynote address, presentations, workshops, and panel discussions.
First held in 2008, the PASSHE Women’s Consortium annual conference was canceled during the pandemic lockdown, held online in 2021 and 2022, and is back in person in 2025!
Nestled in the Susquehanna Valley, Bloomsburg is a college town off of I-80 in northeast central Pennsylvania. Around April 11, cherry blossoms and other early spring blooms grace the landscape.
Meals and all sessions will take place at the university’s Kehr Union. More details about parking and hotels below.
The registration fee covers breakfast, lunch, refreshments, and attendance at all sessions and events:
(Details below)
Special thanks to Commonwealth University’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and the Frederick Douglass Institute for helping us put this together.
More info coming soon…
Here are some recommended accommodation options if you wish to stay overnight:
9:00 Arrival, registration, breakfast
9:30 Welcome remarks
10-12 Sessions
12-1:30 Lunch and meetings
1:30-3:30 Sessions
4-5:30 Keynote and Q&A
We invite you to submit a proposal on the general theme of “Gender Equity, Multicultural Solidarity: Perspectives and Reflections” by Saturday, March 1, 2025, 11:59 PM. If accepted, you’ll be notified by March 15, and you must register for the conference by March 31. If you fail to register by March 31, your submission will be withdrawn.
Students are highly encouraged to submit or attend.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Charisse Baldoria at cbaldori@bloomu.edu with the subject “April Conference.”
Please submit an abstract of 75-100 words.
Research Presentation or Artistic Project (30 minutes)
The 30-minute session presents research, an exploration on a specific topic, or an artistic project (e.g., a composition, literary work, performance, or lecture-performance). One to three people may present in one session.
Please include links to sample works (e.g. writing, video, or audio) in your submission if presenting an original composition or performance.
The 30-minute session includes 20 minutes to present, 5 minutes for a Q&A session, and 5 minutes to set up before your time slot.
Panel Discussion (60 minutes)
The 60-minute roundtable discussion includes three to five speakers giving a 30-minute presentation and a 25-minute discussion on a given topic.
Workshop (30 or 60 minutes)
The 30-minute or 60-minute workshop is an interactive session that focuses on specific strategies for developing skills that promote gender equity and multicultural solidarity in various situations.
The 30-minute workshop session includes 20 minutes to present, 5 minutes for a Q&A session, and 5 minutes to set up before your time slot. The 60-minute workshop session includes 45 minutes to present, 10 minutes of discussion, and 5 minutes of setup before your time slot.
Dr. Kristin Austin (she/her) is a lover of learning and unlearning. Dr. Austin’s goal is to catalyze individuals and structures to question, “Who is at the table? Who is missing from the table? For whom was the table built? And who is unaware the table exists?” Dr. Austin has pursued answers to these questions via 23+ years of administrative and faculty higher education roles domestically and internationally, as well as by leading organizations and teams through equity, inclusion, and belonging-oriented education. Currently, Dr. Austin serves as Vice-President of I.D.E.As. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) at Rewriting the Code, Inc., a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to disrupting and dismantling racial and gender inequality in the technology sector by equipping and empowering college women in tech. Along with her professional work, Dr. Austin engages in speaking, teaching, and pushing visibility for many inclusion topics, especially those related to neurodiversity. Holding identities of ADHD and learning disabled, Dr. Austin loves to create and hold space for neuro-spicy brains, like hers, and maybe yours.
Dr. Austin holds a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and Administration, a Professional Certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a master’s degree in counseling, and a bachelor’s degree (her favorite degree) in Social Work. She is also blessed to learn from 3 small, and forgiving professors ages 15, 13, and 9, and is married to a fellow education professional. For these reasons, her favorite get-a-way is to Target…. alone.