The Education Team within Michigan State University’s Office for Inclusive Excellence and Impact is hosting a series called Inclusive Systems this spring. It is a six-week program that brings together people from the MSU community to explore empathy, constructive dialogue and personal well-being.

The program includes participation, discussion and self-reflective work.

• The series will take place on Wednesdays from May 20 to June 24.
• The time is from 2 to 4 p.m.
• Each event will be held at the MOSAIC Center for Education and Outreach, MSU Union, Room 226.

The Inclusive Systems series is the third in a sequence of educational offerings from IEI’s Education Team, building on two existing workshops: Inclusive Communities and Inclusive Leadership. This newest addition broadens the lens further, equipping participants with the mindset, framework and tools to understand and actively influence the systems around them. The series is in direct alignment with IEI and MSU’s strategic vision for inclusive excellence, furthering the university’s mission by giving the community concrete ways to navigate and shape the systems that affect everyone.

The program is open to all members of the MSU community, including students, staff, faculty and community partners. Sessions are particularly geared toward leaders and those who are ready to move beyond awareness toward systemic impact. No prerequisites are required, though participants are expected to engage with respect and within shared standards rooted in human dignity. The first session will provide a useful foundation and framework, making it accessible for anyone joining for the first time.

What sets the series apart is its format. Sessions combine discussion, workshops and group activities in an environment designed to be genuinely engaging and build community. The focus is on making information immediately useful and practical in real-world situations, with expert facilitators from across campus guiding each session.

This series is designed with the specific intention to ensure that participants experience spaces where people feel safe, seen and affirmed. Agreement is never the expectation, but the goal is to create a respectful engagement within a shared set of boundaries. Every person is welcomed and treated as having an equally valid experience.

Participants can expect to leave with immediately useful tools and thought processes, a personal action plan grounded in their own context, and a network of peers invested in the same goals. The program is built around high-impact practices that do not require translation or decoding to apply to daily life.

The series will be led by eight facilitators whose backgrounds span education, mental health, theatre, law, civil rights and community advocacy.

Dreux Baker (he/him) is the assistant director for diversity, equity and inclusion at Residence Education and Housing Services, where he co-leads the department’s anti-racist and anti-oppression agenda and develops educational resources and training for students and staff.

Lauren Enty (she/her) is the student mental health response coordinator at Counseling and Psychiatric Services, bringing more than a decade of experience in mental health, crisis counseling, substance use treatment and community organizing.

Imelda Galdamez (she/her) is the culture, access and belonging specialist at MSU Extension, where she develops trainings and learning opportunities that support civil rights and inclusive environments across MSU and its community partners.

Ralph Johnson (he/him) is the assistant director of education and development programs in the Office for Inclusive Excellence and Impact. A seasoned educator and facilitator, Johnson holds a master’s degree in higher education from Grand Valley State University and previously served as a civil rights advisor in MSU’s Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance.

Lynn Lammers (she/her) is the artistic coordinator for the Transforming Theatre Ensemble, where she writes, directs and produces interactive theatre pieces used as focal points for dialogue and learning. She has presented her work at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity and the International Globalization Diversity and Education Conference and holds a master’s degree in theatre history, literature and criticism from MSU.

Charlie Liu (he/him) is the director of the MOSAIC Center for Education and Outreach. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and MSU doctoral graduate in Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education, Liu’s research focuses on dialogic approaches to institutional policies shaping student success nationally and globally.

Lydia Weiss (she/her) is the assistant director for climate and response in the MSU Prevention, Outreach and Education Department. With a background in gender justice and workplace wellness, she has worked at MSU since 2013 and holds a master’s degree in women, gender and sexuality studies from the University of Cincinnati.

LaShondra Hemphill (she/her/they) is a climate and response specialist in the MSU Prevention, Outreach and Education Department. A Birmingham, Alabama, native with more than 15 years in prevention and social services, she co-founded a nonprofit that provides domestic violence prevention services and is the founder of the Initiative for Creative Arts, which works to make cultural arts accessible to all youth.

MSU community members who want to gain a deeper understanding of system formation and long-term effects as well as principle-driven actions to advance change in their daily lives and vocations will find great value in the Inclusive Systems series. This is a place where participants can work with others who care about positive change and also want to grow together. Those who finish the Inclusive Systems series will come away with confidence and a clear path forward to advance human dignity and inclusive excellence wherever they place themselves. They also will build community and a meaningful connection with other passionate people who share a similar heart and desire for impactful practices and leadership.

At MSU, people are always trying to make the community a more welcoming place for everyone. The Inclusive Systems series gives individuals the opportunity to gather new and creative methods to further that mission. It offers participants the mindset, framework, tools and a connected community to continue the journey toward change.

Once the series reaches capacity, a waitlist will be created. Early registration is encouraged via Qualtrics. For questions, contact Ralph Johnson at john7611@msu.edu.