Digging Below the Surface: Planting Seeds for Our Future by Fostering Authentic Community

Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 8:30AM–9:15AM CT | Meeting Room 104 CD, Level 1
Session Type: Breakout Session
Delivery Format: Presentation/Panel Session
Many times, we attempt to implement long-term change by building temporary working groups or governance groups for a shared purpose and calling them “community.” People are free to join/leave as they want or cycle off without an expectation of staying connected over time. Authentic community is not optional and not always comfortable. Authentic community is a part of who you are that is carried with you. We will step through ways to approach fostering authentic communities on your teams, at your campuses, and across higher education that can challenge you, support you, and work alongside you to have a lasting impact on the work we do and the people we work with. We will give you tangible steps you can take to work toward a decolonized mindset toward community.        

Presenters

  • Tonya Bennett

    Director of Educational Technology @PennVet, University of Pennsylvania

  • Jonathan B. Hardy

Resources & Downloads

  • EDU25 Authentic Community

    Updated on 11/1/2025