Convergence on Campus works toward enhancing institutional climates for religious, secular, and spiritual identities through policy and practice. Their trainings are based on a four pillar process, Relationship and Oversight, Advocacy, Infrastructure, Programming and Training.
These pillar icons and cube were developed by Vegaa as a reminder for the process and teachings of Convergence and as a physical, consumer branding touch point. Other assets include seminar introduction PDFs to make sure participants sign up for the course that is most helpful for their campus and promotional imagery for future lecture announcements.
Extensive research of higher education and religious, secular, and spiritual identities and communities in the United States and Canada reveals four significant areas of work that collectively allow a college or university — of any size or type — to support religious, secular, and spiritual worldviews on campus. This four pillar theoretical approach capture the essence of Convergence’s vision and outcomes.
Pillar I: Relationship & Oversight
Challenge: Students, staff, and community members need to be engaged with the university’s mission and vision. Student groups at times need oversight and support, and religious, secular, and spiritual identity on campus can find amazing intersections when there are connections between the university and these groups.
Pillar II: Advocacy
Challenge: Religious, secular, and spiritual practicing students often find that when their needs are unmet, there is no one to go to on a college campus. These students can feel unsafe and unable to express themselves in the ways that give them higher purpose. Without structures to support them, students are left at a loss and forced to find their own ways to practice their religious, secular, and spiritual beliefs — even if that means leaving the university.
Pillar III: Infrastructure
Challenge: Attending institutions that are public or private, religiously affiliated or not, thousands of students on college campuses every year are trying to live their religious, secular, and spiritual lives to the fullest in spaces often unfit to enable this engagement. The need to support these identities through physical spaces and tangible opportunities is paramount.
Pillar IV: Programming & Training
Challenge: On many campuses, religious, secular, and spiritual engagement opportunities are largely separated, siloed, and not integrated across the curriculum, programs, and general management of the university. This separation makes it challenging for students to learn from one another and for the campus to engage in critical engagement activities with the campus community regarding religious, secular, and spiritual identities and other inter-sectional identities.
Training Module Introduction
These scrolling PDFs were built for online training modules. Attendees will be introduced to Convergence’s theoretical framework for organizational improvement and be equipped to bring transformative strategies and action plans back to your campus for implementation. This training is an important learning opportunity for anyone wanting to improve equity and inclusion, no matter your experience level or role within an organization.
Promotional Imagery
Across North America, expert practitioners, researchers, and scholars are busy working to enhance support for all forms of religious, secular, and spiritual identities through their own lens and expertise. All negotiated costs are arranged with the speakers, and Convergence will assist and coordinate with any campus. Convergence offers trainings, webinars, and speaking forums in a variety of ways and public events are announced in poster form.