A Central College team will present at the national IMPACT conference, to be held Feb. 23-26, University of Massachusetts – Amherst.

Assistant Director of Community-Based Learning at Central and 2020 Central graduate Tori Fyfe, along with two Class of 2023 students Gloria Montiel and Quinn Deahl, will run a workshop open to the more than 600 conference attendees. The Central team has diverse experiences in racial justice, social change and justice, political advocacy and campus advocacy.

“These women are passionate about furthering social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion on and off the college campus and we are fortunate to have their energy and expertise at Central,” says Jess Klyn De Novelo, associate dean for career development and civic engagement and a 2005 Central alumna. “They will share their perspectives of advocating for and achieving meaningful change.”

The presentation is titled “Mobilizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice Initiatives at Predominantly White Institutions.” This session will provide a brief history of Central’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The necessity of DEIJ and civic engagement at PWIs will also be discussed. Presenters will discuss the development and changes the Alliance of Underrepresented People at Central has adopted since its founding in 2021.

The IMPACT Conference is historically the largest gathering in the country focused on the civic engagement of college students in community service, service learning, community-based research, advocacy and other forms of social action. IMPACT is the one time during the year when students, administrators, faculty, AmeriCorps members and VISTAs and nonprofit professionals gather to share resources and exchange stories.