Lasell University’s Fall Career Readiness Symposium, “Engaging With Your Communities,” featured student research, discussion panels, and creative works, many with an emphasis on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

One such project, “African Diaspora Day,” had students in Lasell’s Black Psychology course collaboratively design co-curricular events for the University community to highlight the cultural disconnectedness of Black ethnic groups around the world. They held education stations and a marketplace in Arnow Campus Center to showcase Black and African-American-owned vendors from the Greater Boston community.

Other morning presentations included “Unmasking the Underbelly of Social Media Platforms,” in which students shared discoveries about the benefits and risks of the growing number of features on social media; and “Ready, Set, Pivot: How to Make Your Degree Work for You,” a panel discussion featuring Lasell alumni representing a range of majors and career paths. The alumni discussed what Connected Learning meant to them, and how they implement it in their current roles.

Students from the Showa Boston Institute, affiliated with Showa University in Tokyo, joined the Lasell community to demonstrate a traditional tea ceremony, and teach Japanese calligraphy (shoda) and origami. Students led a Title IX community training session, as well as a preferred names and pronouns workshop for faculty and staff. Afternoon presentations included a watch party, “U.S. Senate Election and Economic Inequality;” film viewing of “Sugihara: Conspiracy of Kindness;” and “The Experiences of Black Men at Lasell Through Hip-Hop Lyrics,” centered around the experiences of and contextual factors that influence diverse students — particularly, Black men living and learning on predominantly White campuses — by using hip-hop lyrics as a framework and outlet.

“This semester’s symposium celebrated student scholarship and discovery,” said Provost Eric Turner. “The energy and excitement generated from experiencing [this event] at Lasell is extraordinary.”

Presentations from the Career Readiness Symposium can be found here. The Spring Connected Learning Symposium will be held on Thursday, April 27.