King’s Hosts Two-Day Public Symposium Celebrating its History, Culture, and Community Impact

King’s Hosts Two-Day Public Symposium Celebrating its History, Culture, and Community Impact 

Wilkes-Barre, Pa.— King’s College is hosting a two-day public symposium starting on Nov. 14, 2024, entitled, “Rooted in Hope: Telling our Stories, Living our Mission,” which features special articles, videos, and presentations that examine the history and evolution of the College’s mission over the last 75 years.

This event is the culmination of a two-year research project made possible by a $40,000 NetVUE Reframing the Institutional Saga grant. The funding enabled the College to commission 10 unique stories and five videos as part of an updated account of its history and evolving community.

Research themes include the arts, first-generation college students, the Black experience at King’s, how the Wyoming Valley shaped the College, women’s history at King’s, Catholic social teaching, Hispanic outreach, service to the local community, immigrants at the College, and disability services.

The symposium starts at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14, 2014, in the Burke Auditorium with a keynote presentation by Regina Graham ’10, diversity, equity, and inclusion program director at Geisinger Health System, which serves more than 3 million residents across Pennsylvania. The following day, the event features several lectures and panel discussions with community representatives, alumni, and friends of the College.

Graham has worked at Geisinger for more than 13 years in program management, technology, innovation, and patient services. Her current focus is on community engagement in Geisinger’s service area and addressing health disparities through strategic programming.

NetVUE, administered through the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), is a nationwide network of colleges and universities formed to enrich the intellectual and theological exploration of vocation among undergraduates. The grant program is funded through the CIC with support from the Lilly Endowment Inc.

“We’re grateful to NetVue for this fresh opportunity to explore our past, present, and future starting in the 1940s with the College’s founding mission to educate the sons of the coal miners in the Wyoming Valley,” said Jennifer McClinton-Temple, Ph.D., English professor and NetVue grant committee co-chair. “While the makeup of our community has changed with the times, that fundamental drive to educate local, first-generation students resonates stronger than ever across our recruitment, retention, curriculum design, service learning, and faculty expertise.”

To register, visit https://www.kings.edu/rootedinhope.

Nov. 14, 2024

Keynote Event Featuring Regina Graham

Escaping the ‘Single Story’ – Acknowledging Intersectionality through Storytelling

7 p.m. | Burke Auditorium

Nov. 15, 2024

Symposium Sessions | Campus Center, third floor:

9:10 - 10 a.m.

Helping All Students Thrive: Why Disability Services Are Vital to the Mission

10:15 - 11:05 a.m.

The Black Experience at King’s College

Educating with Heart: Catholic Social Teaching

11:20 – 12:10 p.m.

The Women of King’s College

Serving our Changing Community: King’s College and Hispanic Outreach