Convocation

Welcome to the 2023-2024 academic year! We are grateful for the dedication and compassion you show our students, and we look forward to a year of academic excellence, innovation, and service.

NOVA will close all offices for Convocation, 8:00 a.m. to noon, so all members of our community can attend.

WHEN

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Convocation
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Lunch
11:30 - noon

WHERE

Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center
Alexandria Campus
4915 East Campus Drive
Alexandria, Virginia 22311
Campus Map

WATCH PARTY & LUNCH PICK UP

Alexandria Campus
Fine Arts Building Room 118
(Overflow) Room 132

Annandale Campus
Ernst Theater

Brault and Pender
Schlesinger Center

Loudoun Campus
Waddell Theater

Medical Campus
MEC Forum

Manassas Campus
Howsman Hall Room 216
Overflow Colgan Theater

Woodbridge Campus
Workforce Development Center
Room 160

Note: All Pender and Brault employees will go to Schlesinger to attend convocation for this annual in-person event.

CONVOCATION PROGRAM

8:00 a.m. - 8:55 a.m.

Check-in Continental Breakfast, Meet & Greet
Schlesinger Center Forum

9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Master of Ceremonies
Dr. Nathan Carter, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer

Greetings
Dr. Eun-Woo Chang, Vice President, Academic Affairs, Chief Academic Officer
Ambassador Joseph Huggins, College Board Chair
Jack Lechelt, College Senate Chair

Video Presentation
Belonging: Faculty and Staff Reflections

Opening Remarks
Anne M. Kress, Ph. D., President

Keynote: Sense of Belonging
Dr. Terrell Strayhorn, President, Do Good Work Consulting Group

Panelist Discussion: Belonging

Student Panel
Willie Brown, Jason Menjivar, Zaynab Mirza, Tej El Houda Trad

Faculty and Staff Panel
Indigo Eriksen, Cecil Jackson, Steven Lessner, Amanda Wilder

Video Presentation
Excellence: Faculty and Staff Reflections

Inspiring Excellence: A Bold Blueprint for Student Success
Anne M. Kress, Ph. D., President

11:30 a.m. - noon

Lunch

IN THIS SECTION

KEYNOTE: Sense of Belonging

Speaker: Dr. Terrell Strayhorn, President, Do Good Work Consulting Group

Dr. Terrell Lamont Strayhorn is one of the most prolific and influential scholars in the fields of education, psychology, and the academic study of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Named one of the country's "Top Diversity Scholars" by Diverse Issues in Higher Education and a remarkable "Bridge-Builder" between academic- and student affairs by one of ACPA's commissions, Strayhorn has authored 12 books, including the award-winning College Students' Sense of Belonging (2nd ed. 2019), and over 200+ peer-reviewed journal articles and academic publications. His research has been cited, endorsed, or financially supported by over $10 million from the most premiere agencies in the world including Lumina Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, National Science Foundation, to name a few. One of his core passions is translating research-to-practice in ways that improve the material conditions and lived experiences of our most vulnerable populations. He accomplishes this mission largely through the more than 2000+ public talks, distinguished lectures, and keynotes he has delivered across the globe.

A respected thought-leader and highly-sought speaker, Strayhorn's ground-breaking research has been featured in many outlets including the Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Huffington Post, Essence, and Diverse Issues, to name a few. He is President and CEO of Do Good Work Consulting Group, a minority-owned business that partners with hundreds of colleges, universities, corporations, and agencies each year to enhance culture, build inclusive environments, and boost belonging in ways that raise morale, increase retention, improve people's journey, and help organizations hit their bottom line. He's a Contributing Writer for Entrepreneur, Thrive Global, AllBusiness, and Psychology Today, where he leads the " Belonging Matters" blog.

Strayhorn is Professor of Education and Psychology; Director of the Center for the Study of HBCUs, and Principal Investigator of the The Belonging Lab at Virginia Union University. He is Diversity Scholar-in-Residence at Harrisburg Area Community College, Fellow of AGB's Institute for Leadership & Governance, and member of several non-profit boards including Minds Beyond Measure, Rainbow Labs, and the MCT Educational Foundation. He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.

Company: Do Good Work Consulting Group
Website: www.dogoodworkllc.org
Connect with me on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram

Anne M. Kress, Ph. D., President

President of Northern Virginia Community College, an institution serving over 70,000 students across six campuses, Dr. Anne M. Kress focuses on fulfilling the college’s promise that every student succeeds, every program achieves, and every community prospers.

She serves on the boards of the American Council on Education, Taskforce on Higher Education and Opportunity, Generation Hope, Capital Area Food Bank, Northern Virginia Chamber, Northern Virginia Technology Council, GO Virginia-Region 7, and Consortium of the Universities of the Washington Metro Area. In addition, she is a member of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the Connected DMV Congress, and the Economic Club of DC. Kress has testified before Congress on community colleges and workforce development and served as a negotiator on federal higher education regulations.

She has been named to the Virginia Business 500 and Washington Business Journal Power 100, been recognized by the Washington Business Journal as a “Woman Who Means Business,” and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Washington. Kress has been honored by the Virginia Community College System, Phi Theta Kappa, American Association of University Women, and her alma mater, the University of Florida, among others.

Kress earned two bachelor’s degrees, in Finance and English; a master’s degree in English; and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration—all from the University of Florida. Prior to moving into academic administration, she was a Professor of English. Kress has also taught graduate courses in higher education administration and serves on a program advisory board for the University of Maryland Global Campus.

She is married to Ned Davis, and they have two college-age children.

Dr. Eun-Woo Chang, Vice President, Academic Affairs, Chief Academic Officer

Dr. Eun-Woo Chang is currently serving as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer at Northern Virginia Community College. Dr. Chang has more than 25 years of experience in higher education. He worked at the Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada for 17 years, where he started as an adjunct faculty, then became a tenured professor of Chemistry, Chair of the Physical Science Department, Faculty Senate Chair, and a member of several college-wide and statewide leadership committees. In addition, he was appointed to serve as the Interim Dean of Mathematics and Sciences at the College of Southern Nevada during the 2005-2006 academic year. After serving as a program director in the Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation from 2008-2011, Dr. Chang became the Dean of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics at Montgomery College in Maryland from 2011-2014. He was the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Mercer County Community College in New Jersey from 2014-2016 before joining Ashland University in Ohio as Provost in spring 2016.

During 2004-2005, Dr. Chang became a member of the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows, a prestigious leadership cohort selected by ACE. In 2010, he was named a Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS), which is the largest scientific society in the US, for his dedicated service and contributions. Dr. Chang served as the chair and the councilor of the Sierra Nevada Section and a member of the International Activities Committee of ACS. Currently, he is an active member of the Chemistry and Public Affairs Committee of ACS. Dr. Chang has also served on several important advisory boards, such as the Ohio Health Governance Advisory Board, the Trenton Public Education Foundation Board, and the NSF funded Center for Energy Efficient Electronics Science (E3S) led by UC Berkeley.

Dr. Chang earned a B.S. degree in Chemistry in South Korea and an M.A. degree in Chemistry from Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN. After receiving a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, he became a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Chemistry at Harvard University.

Dr. Jack Lechelt, professor of political science and history at NOVA

Dr. Jack Lechelt is a professor of political science and history at NOVA, where he worked since 2006. Most of those years were at the Alexandria Campus, but since 2021 he has worked at the Loudoun Campus. He has been the Chair of the College Senate since May 2023.

Dr. Dahlia Henry-Tett, Inaugural chief wellness officer at NOVA

Dr. Dahlia Henry-Tett is NOVA’s Inaugural chief wellness officer, a position focused on supporting employee health and wellbeing. Employee Wellness and Wellbeing strives to address each NOVA employee’s full range of wellness needs by collaborating with college and community wellness partners and building bridges to services, service providers, and programs.

Henry-Tett is an innovative college and campus community builder whose support and mentorship empowered colleagues and students to navigate the increasingly complex demands of higher education. This decorated faculty member has served in several leadership positions at the College, including campus coordinator and administrator of the new faculty mentorship program (Teacher2Teacher); CETL associate/faculty developer; honors chair at the Manassas Campus; PED/HLT faculty discipline group chair, program head and assistant dean; interim associate dean; and student success (formerly ATD) co-lead for Academic Affairs. Throughout her career, this empathetic leader has consistently advocated for all college community members.

She has also served in various government and private sector capacities, including director of health and wellness services at a private college; a national speaker and book contributor; a health promotion consultant for a national fitness and nutrition campaign; an ambassador for the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association at the annual NBC4 D.C. Health and Fitness Expo; and advisory council member on teaching and learning for Arlington Public Schools.

Dr. Henry-Tett holds a master of science in physical education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, and a doctorate and 2nd master’s degree in education from the Health and Behavioral Studies Department at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a certified health education specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC), with over 22 years of experience.

Dr. Henry-Tett thanks each person who contributed to making the inaugural year of NOVA Employee Wellness and Wellbeing noteworthy. She is excited to continue to work collaboratively to inspire greater health and well-being across the college.

Nigel Word, Director of Student Leadership & Engagement at NOVA

Nigel is originally from the small rural area of Long Island, VA. He is an educator and lifelong learner with a passion for creating inclusive spaces and diverse experiences that cultivate personal development. Nigel holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Lynchburg and a master’s degree in College Student Personnel Administration from James Madison University. He began his career in Housing & Residence Life which laid the foundation for his commitment fostering a strong sense of belonging and connectedness. His higher education experience includes small private, large public, and two year institutions.

Nigel came to NOVA in 2020. He is currently the Director of Student Leadership & Engagement and also serves as an instructor. Over the course of his career, he has received several awards, given keynote speeches, presented at conferences, earned his leadership coach certification, and been an avid strategic thinker in elevating the co-curricular student experience. He is always seeking ways to build and broaden the impact of his work in service to students. It is his core belief that leadership is a lifestyle of authenticity and our legacy lies in our service to others.

Aside from work, Nigel is a proud dad to Nora Joy, which is his most honored duty.

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Convocation

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CONVOCATION PROGRAM