2026 Student Life Professional Development Conference View Other Sessions

In a time when our work continually evolves and our communities grow more complex, perspective-taking is both a skill and a practice that keeps us anchored in purpose. This interactive session explores the power of perspective-taking through a creative group exercise that reveals how context, communication, and curiosity shape the way we make meaning. Together, we will reflect on what it takes to “zoom out” from our own experiences, recognize the broader story, and build empathy with others. We will also reflect on what it means to take a broader perspective on our own challenges and mistakes, and to embrace self-compassion as a foundation for our work and for supporting those around us.

In this interactive session, participants will gain practical skills in recognizing signs of spiritual wellbeing and identifying spiritual distress, which can emerge during life transitions such as health challenges, adapting to new environments or navigating values conflicts. The session will address common misconceptions about spiritual care within the context of a public university, and discuss how to foster an inclusive environment that honors diverse expressions of spirituality and meaning. 

Whether religious, spiritual, secular or seeking, this session is open to all. This session invites reflection on your personal journey and offers strategies relevant to a variety of campus roles. Join us to strengthen your practice of supporting spiritual wellbeing! 

Student Life is always evolving, and sometimes it feels like the winds are out of our control. This interactive session is all about taking a step back to reflect individually and together on what keeps us anchored in purpose when things get messy or uncertain. Drawing on our real-life experience leading teams in Student Life, cross-campus events, and staff onboarding (plus a dose of leadership research!), we’ll dig into practical ways to reconnect with your values, make sure your daily work lines up with your mission, and build resilience for yourself and your crew. You’ll walk away with easy frameworks and prompts to use right away, helping you and your team adapt, grow, and stay focused on what matters—even when changes come fast.

This session equips student-facing staff with essential knowledge and resources to foster an inclusive and supportive environment for the University of Michigan’s international student community. Staff from the International Center (IC) will present IC’s student support framework, highlighting current immigration challenges and common issues international students experience. The IC will also introduce its holistic approach, which integrates personal, cultural, academic, career, and immigration support, and share case studies illustrating how cross-unit collaborations and partnerships are critical in effectively addressing students’ diverse needs. Attendees will leave with actionable insights, a stronger understanding of international students’ unique situation, and practical strategies to strengthen collaboration across campus.

In this session, participants will learn what dialogue is, learn some basic dialogic skills, and have the opportunity to apply these skills. We will explore dialogue both generally and the more specific power-conscious dialogue that the Program on Intergroup Relations and Intergroup Dialogue does. In addition, we’ll explore what dialogue is not. You will receive an overview of concrete dialogic skills, be given the opportunity to practice these skills through small groups within the session, and take handouts home with you so you can continue to practice these skills in the future. In addition to learning about dialogue skills you will have the opportunity to consider how you might bring dialogic skills into your practice, including information about how you can partner with The Program on Intergroup Relations in the future.  

Join as a group of mid-level supervisors to explore how to navigate supervision with care, clarity, and effectiveness. Through the exploration of various supervision topics, and guided by participant contribution and questions, this session will focus on strengthening skills for holding staff accountable, building confidence in difficult conversations, and following through on feedback.