Dennis H. May Diversity Conference on Mental Health and Higher Education
Welcome to the Dennis H. May Diversity Conference on Mental Health and Higher Education!
The theme of this year's conference is: Being Radically Well Together: Addressing the Challenges of Higher Education, and we are thrilled to have Dr. Wendi Williams as our keynote speaker. It will be held on October 6-7, 2024 at the Illini Union in Champaign.
Our conference has a long history at the University of Illinois Counseling Center. Over the past several decades, the focus of the conference has been to educate those who directly work with college students on issues related to diversity, mental health, and the college experience.
The needs and demographics of college students are changing, and we need to evolve as well. change, so must the scope of our conference. As we continue to grow, we have expanded the conference to include all student affairs professionals. Some of the benefits of attending this conference are learning about the issues that can impact young adults, connecting with other professionals in the field, and engaging in robust training related to diversity.
We welcome presenters and attendees who work in counseling centers, student affairs, DEI, and community teachers and administrators who are interested in preparing their students for college.
Details
Date:
- Sun, 10/6/2024, 3-7 p.m. and Mon, 10/7/2024, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Contact:
- Emily Barnum
elbarnum@illinois.edu
217-333-3704
- Kamau Grantham
grantham@illinois.edu
217-333-3704
Our Keynote Speaker
Dr. Wendi Williams
Provost and Senior Vice President, Fielding Graduate University
Psychologist, advocate, and educator, Dr. Wendi Williams applies her work at the intersection of education and psychology to her scholarship and leadership praxis. Williams completed undergraduate studies at the University of California, Davis where she majored in psychology and minored in African and African American Studies. She completed graduate study at Pepperdine University (MA in Psychology) and Georgia State University, where she earned a doctorate in counseling psychology, with an emphasis in multicultural psychology and family systems.
In a career spanning two decades, Williams’ work delves into the contours of Black women’s and girls’ inner lives, leveraging deep knowledge of their interiority as source content for the development of culturally-responsive educational and psychological interventions. Applying critical lenses of liberation psychology and Womanist, Black, and Intersectional feminist theoretical frames with an equity-centered systems power analysis, Williams develops and implements educational, wellness, and leadership intervention programming with individuals, groups, and organizations. Her work attends to the individual and organizational transformation required to foment the optimal growth and development of diverse women and girls while attending to the organizational and societal systems-level change required for sustainable equity practice.
Presenting and Attending
Submitting a Proposal
We would love to have a variety of presentations from a diverse group of presenters! Please consider submitting a proposal. This year's conference theme is: Being Radically Well Together: Addressing the Challenges of Higher Education. The conference is October 6-7, 2024 at the Illini Union, which is in the heart of the University of Illinois’ campus.
We welcome proposals from our colleagues at all stages of their careers. Training directors, we understand that the timing of our conference doesn't allow for incoming interns to submit a proposal. If you would like your 2024-2025 cohort to have the experience of leading a roundtable discussion, please provide us with some general information now, and then once interns start, we'll reach out for specific details for the program.
Programs could focus on maintaining and building wellness in the current political landscape, addressing microaggressions, examining power and privilege, and developing multiculturally-competent outreach interventions. Program proposals that address this year’s conference theme will be given priority consideration. Please submit an electronic copy of your proposed program via the form listed below.
When submitting a proposal, please note that we are looking for a brief content overview of the topic you’ll be exploring followed by action-oriented steps to promote change. If your proposal is accepted, the presentation title, presenter information, and abstract you provide will be included in the conference program—please be sure the information you submit is accurate. More than one proposal may be submitted; however, multiple acceptances will be reviewed with consideration for conference schedule limitations. Proposals are due by midnight central time on July 1, 2024.
You will receive notification of acceptance by July 15, 2024. To allow as many to participate as possible, we may ask you to consider collaborating with others if similar proposals are submitted.
Registration Details
Registration fees for the Dennis H. May Diversity Conference on Mental Health and Higher Education are as follows. Registration includes a banquet dinner on Sunday evening, a continental breakfast, and lunch on Monday. 2023 registration fees are listed below. Registration will close on September 27, 2024.
| UIUC Employees | Non-UIUC Employees | Interns |
| $180 | $240 | $90 |
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Up to seven Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered at the conference for Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPC), and Psychologists. If you are interested in earning CEUs, please designate this when you register.
Lodging and Travel
Lodging
Illini Union Hotel
1401 E. Green Street
Urbana, Illinois 61801
217-333-1241
(Same building conference is taking place)
$129-$139 + taxes and fees/night
Group Code: DHMCONF
Rate expires September 5, 2024
I-Hotel and Conference Center
1900 S. First Street
Champaign, Illinois 61820
217-819-5000
(Shuttle service will be provided to and from the conference.)
Link to book with conference rate
$159+ taxes and fees/night
Block Code: UIDC1024
Guest Password: Zit8%
Rate expires August 21. 2024
Travel Information
Champaign is located near two major interstates—I-74 and I-57. We are approximately 150 miles south of Chicago, 100 miles west of Indianapolis, and 175 miles northeast of Saint Louis.
If you need to park on campus, the University’s Parking Department offers several options.
Willard Airport (Airport Code: CMI) is approximately 5 miles from campus and is easily accessible by cab and bus. Currently, direct flights into Willard are from Dallas/Fort Worth and O'Hare Airports.
AMTRAK offers service between downtown Chicago and Champaign.
Peoria Charter offers bus transportation from both Chicago airports to campus (the ISR stop is just a block from the campus venue.