Thursday, September 17, 2026.

Presented by Dr. Leon John, Jr., Vice President of Mission Integration & Strategy, Cedar Crest College

Valley Voices: Higher Education and Community Dialogue is a six-part learning series designed to bring together faculty and staff from across member institutions to explore practical strategies for advancing belonging, inclusion, and free expression in higher education. Through interactive sessions grounded in real-world examples, participants will gain tools to foster inclusive, engaged campus communities in an increasingly complex and polarized environment. This series positions belonging and pluralism as essential to student success and the democratic mission of higher education.

This session directly demonstrated how intentional belonging work strengthens the democratic foundation of higher education. Cedar Crest College increased its sense of belonging by 20 percentage points and feelings of community by 10 percentage points over two years—proving that inclusive practices are measurable acts of institutional renewal. Democracy thrives when all voices are heard and valued; Cedar Crest’s data shows that cultivating belonging creates the conditions for genuine participation and shared governance that embody democratic ideals.

Link for presentation slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Eeh9yvx-YK_SrgWqlkKm7PZbAmyW2Nau/view?usp=drive_link